Hidden Secrets
by Potterfan89
Summary: Free from Voldemort but burdened by expectations, Harry Potter is about to find out with a little help from Draco Malfoy that hidden secrets are good for the soul. An "eighth" year story, DH no epilogue, HPDM
1. Second Chances

**A/N: **This is my first EVER Harry Potter fanfiction, usually I write Torchwood but hey I thought why not try my hand at this. Please be kind! And Most of all ENJOY!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter my role model does though (good old JK virtual cookies for anyone who gets that reference)

**Warning:** This chapter has nothing to warn about but futures will involve Harry/Draco scenes and I tend to get graphic so if you don't like, don't read simple as that.

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**Second Chances**

18-year-old harry potter was walking down the corridor on the Hogwarts express. He was going to be completing his seventh year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But before he could start that, he had to patrol the train, just one of the duties he had as Head boy. Harry groaned to himself when he noticed a disturbance in front of the last compartment at the very end of the train. Three sixth year Ravenclaws seemed to be getting very angry at said compartment. 'Damn it!' harry thought to himself he pulled out his want and picked up his pace.

"I can't believe you actually came." Said the tallest of the three. "Merlin, you and your families may have been cleared by the ministry but we're not fooled. We all know the truth."

"What may that be?" said a female voice form inside the compartment.

"You're all nothing but Death Eaters." Said another of the girls.

"What in the name of Merlin is going on here?" said Harry looking between each of the girls.

"Nothing Harry." Said the tallest with all the Ravenclaw superiority she could muster.

"OK, alright, I'll ask again and this time you'll tell me. OK? Good. Now, what is going on here?"

"The smallest stepped forward and said; "we were just trying to figure out what made the Death Eaters come back this year, it's not like they're welcome here."

"Death Eaters?" Harry had a confused look on his face as he peered into the compartment; inside he saw Draco Malfoy his hand was itching closer and closer to his wand looking angrier than Harry had ever seen him. He was sitting with both Blaise Zabbini and Pansy Parkinson. He kept his confused face fixed as he turned back to the three girls. "I see no Death Eaters. What I do see is a very angry Draco Malfoy sitting with Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabbini."

"Harry!" said one of the girls. "Malfoy tried to KILL you his father almost did on more than one occasion! And let's not forget the fact that Parkinson actually stood up and tried to hand you over to you-know-who before the final battle!"

"Yeah they did you're completely right, they did that, and more." Harry said simply, his face was passive but furry was burning a furnace inside of him. "Now back to what I was saying; I see no Death Eaters. I do however see three Slytherins being harassed by three Ravenclaws, which I must say is a huge turn of the tables. Now, as Ravenclaws I am assuming you are fairly intelligent, you should really use that intelligence now and leave, because believe me you don't want to be on the receiving end of what ever hex Malfoy is thinking of using on you at this moment. And if you're not careful you'll end up on the tail end of one of mine!"

"But Harry…"

"Don't but Harry me. I'm Head boy now and it's my job to stop bullying from happening, which is exactly what's happening here. If I see it again I will take so many points you won't know what hit you!"

The Three Ravenclaws seemed to be weighing their options and with one last glare shot at the three Slytherins they were gone with their heads drawn together.

Harry merely rolled his eyes and turned towards the compartment again. "Are you guys alright?"

"Um… yeah… thanks Po… Harry." Said Pansy with a small smile, confusion written all over her features. "But why did you…?"

"Second chances."

"There you are Harry." Said a small red headed girl from behind Harry. "I've been looing everywhere for you. You coming back?"

"Yeah Ginny, I'm coming." Ginny took Harrys hand and with one last nod to the Slytherins, he let himself be dragged away.

"That was… weird." Said Draco, still looking at the door in confusion.

"Yeah." Blaise said slowly. "Was it just me or did Potter seem not particularly happy to see the female weasel?"

"Yeah and the way he was talking to the Ravenclaws, he was weird, kind of unnerving actually." Said Draco. "He was different, some what odd."

"He's been like that for awhile now apparently." Said Pansy, lying down on the seat she had to herself. "My uncle was telling mum the other day. He said that when Potter goes to the ministry he's all smiles, but the smiles don't meet his eyes. He said Potter's eyes look like a ghost's and that they are older than his face. But he also said that Potter's doing such a good job at hiding his true emotions that those closest to him wouldn't notice, that only those who aren't would."

"What the hell are you babbling on about?" said Draco

"Yeah, Pans' you're making no sense." Blaise said, sharing a confused glance with Draco.

"Yes I am Blaise. You see it's like… um… a painting. When you're up close you can see it, you can see all of the individual brush strokes that make up a masterpiece that those far away couldn't. But when you step back, you can appreciate it's true beauty and everything just seems to fall into place." Pansy said like it was completely obvious. "You see Potter's friends like; the weaselette, Granger and Weasley, they'll see a side to Potter that none other do. But they see too much of him to notice small details like ghost filled eyes."

"So it's kind of like at Christmas when I see my cousins, it's like they have downed a bottle of skello-grow since the last time I saw them. But their parents don't seem to notice as much. That's because they seem constantly but I never do, right?"

"Exactly Draco, he's not as daft as he looks then. We never see Potter so we notice 'the ghosts' per say."

"So Pansy," said Blaise, leaning forward. "You seem to be the expert on all things Potter. Why do you think he's acting so strange all of a sudden?"

Pansy sat up and studied Blaise. "I don't know to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't have a clue. By all rights he should hate us more than what he use to, I mean I practically offered him up as an entrée. Not only that but you-know-who's dead now so he should be deliriously happy. He get's to have something that's almost akin to a normal life, he'll never actually have one but its close enough."

"Well I'm not complaining." Said Blaise. "At least there's one person this year who won't be giving us shit the entire time. But that doesn't change the fact that he's acting weird and Potter being weird can't be a good thing."

"Yeah weird." Draco turned his attention to the scenery outside, the mystery of Harry Potter was playing deeply on his mind. He couldn't stop thinking that the murky waters that surrounded him would only get murkier.

MEANWHILE on the opposite end of the train Harry Potter was lost deep in thought staring out the window as the British countryside flew past him.

"Harry, Harry, Harry!"

Someone punched his knee. "OW! Fuck Ron, what the hell was that for?" he started rubbing his knew with the arm that wasn't wrapped around Ginny. For awhile he forgot he wasn't alone. In fact, the compartment was almost full with; Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and Dean.

"Sorry Mate, but you were completely zoned out, we were calling you but well like I said, sorry. What's wrong?" Ron said looking at the floor.

"You mean apart from the fact that my knee is killing me?"

"You know what I mean."

"Nothing's wrong, I just didn't get enough sleep last night because of someone." Harry cast his gaze to Ginny who blushed brightly behind her book.

"Anyway." Said Ron

"You two are like rabbits." Said Dean

"Anyway!" Ron said a little louder.

"Like you can talk Dean." Harry cast a knowing look at him and Luna.

"OK stop now." Said Ron. "I don't want the visuals, especially my best mate and my sister."

"Oh Ron you're just jealous." Hermione said not looking up from her book.

"I'm quite happy being single Hermione." Ron and Hermione started dating after the war ended but it went down hill quickly, they were lucky to catch it and become friends again before it went messy. "Anyway what I was going to say to Harry, why did you stop the Ravenclaws hexing the lot of them?"

"Because Ron, Harry is Head Boy now, he can't stand by and watch as someone gets harassed and bullied." Said Hermione

"Not only that but…" Harry bit his lip he knew Ron wasn't going to like the next two words he was about to say. "Second chances."

"What? Harry, are you insane?" Ron was looking at Harry like the latter's brains had snuck out and flown out of the window. "Malfoy has had nothing but chances from you since you met him!"

"Ron what happened before the final battle doesn't count." Harry said simply.

Hermione looked up from her book for a moment and said; "Harry, did you find out why Pansy and Draco weren't at the prefects meeting earlier?" Hermione had been made Head Girl and she had point the fact out to Harry as soon as the meeting started.

"Nah, I didn't get the chance, but I'm really not overly worried about it. They did seem particularly surprised by the Ravenclaws actions. I might talk to them tomorrow if I get the chance, even if it's just to explain what they missed."

"Harry you do realise you're too noble for your own damn good." Said Ron

"You know, Ron has a point Harry." Said Dean, whose arms were full of Luna. "If anyone has a right to hold a grudge against them, it's definitely you."

"I think Harry's right." Said Neville

"Me too." Luna said dreamily.

"Thanks guys." Said Harry. "Look they may have been right little bastards before, but the war changed everyone. All of you know this."

"No matter what you say Harry," Ginny said snuggling closer. "Parkinson will always be a pig nosed dog."

"Yes dear." Harry went back to staring out of his window and let the conversation continue without him. He knew Ginny and Ron wouldn't change their views, so he just felt like being by himself. Lately he had wanted to spend more and more time by himself, but he didn't. He was expected to be around his friends constantly so he was.

Since Professor McGonagall became headmistress she had instigated some very significant changes, the first of which that was noticed by the students was that Hagrid no longer came to collect the first years. Instead the Head boy and girl would be escorting the over on the boats. So that meant that Harry and Hermione were standing in the rain truing to wrangle first years into the boats.

"Oi, look." Blaise nudged Draco and pointed towards Harry, as they made their way towards the carriages. "Potter looks pissed. The first years are really laying into him."

Blaise's statement couldn't have been anymore true. The first years seemed to be demanding autographs and tales of one of Harry's great adventures.

"You'd think he would love all of the attention but again he looks... I don't know... miserable." Said Draco.

"And for the first time since i've known her, Granger looks oblivious to it all." Said Pansy

They watched as Harry put his wand to his throat and made the volume of his voice triple. "All first years in the boats, NOW! And if one more person asks for an autograph they'll be dinner for the giant squid!"

"You might be right about only us being able to see the changes in Potter, Pansy." Said Draco. "now one else3 seems to have noticed that he just threatened to murder all of the first year. I don't know how I feel about having an insight into Potter, I may not want to spend this year ripping out his throat but god, I don't want to get close. That's too weird."

"You know, if Potter keeps going like this," said Pansy. "He is going to have one serious mental break down."

Twenty minutes after they sat down in the great hall Harry Potter and Hermione Granger walked in, very wet, followed by a procession of equally wet first years. In fact they look less like they arrived on boats and more like they same across the black lake. Once they arrived at the front of the hall, harry shook out his mane, wetting professor McGonagall in the process.

"Oh I'm so sorry ma'am." Harry said, trying to fight off the sudden desire to burst out laughing.

"Yes, well, take a seat Mister Potter."

"Hold on," said Pansy. "Didn't we wait in a chamber to the side of the hall? These guys came straight in from the boats."

"Apparently, McGonagall's made some changes." Said Draco

"Well if either of you actually went to the prefects meeting on the train you would know." Blaise said with a smug smile

After the sorting and the feast was over Professor McGonagall stood up. "Welcome everyone both new and old. This is an important year for Hogwarts. This year marks the first year of a new world, a world that began after a great war. The final battle of this war was fought in this very hall.

"This year will show changes to this schools regime. The most notable change will be inter-house relations. Something we all learnt in the war is the importance of unity, even if unity starts as; simply school houses learning to get along and co-exist. I have already been informed of ill feelings between certain houses; I am putting an end to this now! This is a new era for both Hogwarts and the greater wizarding world.

"Now I have been asked to remind to older students and inform the new ones that there is a ban on products from Zonko's and Weasley Wizard Wheezes, a full list of these items can be found in your common rooms. Now all except seventh years may leave. Goodnight. Seventh years to the front please."

Once the rest of the school had left, the seventh years walk to the front and propped them selves on tables and chairs or even on the floor and waited for Professor McGonagall to start talking.

"Now as you know, this is the smallest seventh year class we have had in many years. This is due to thee fact that most didn't want to return back but some were killed in the final battle, I know you will sorely miss them." Professor McGonagall took a minute to let people process and regain composure as some were reduced to tears. "As I mentioned in my speech I am promoting inter-house unity, I am not naive enough to think this will happen over night, I am going to need your help/ you are the leaders of this school and I would like you all to lead by example.

"To help with this, a room has been made for you and solely for you; it has been made into a sort of common room, a seventh year's common room. You can go there to chat or study or do what ever it is you do whilst you are in your own common rooms. I want you to show the younger students how to interact properly with each other.

"Some of you may be wondering why you have to still do all of your NEWT work even though you were here for most of last year. Last year you learnt nothing about what you need to know, which is why everyone is repeating the year they did last year.

"So I am going to leave you now so that you can discuss all of this further amongst yourselves. Harry and Hermione know the whereabouts and the password for the common room. I suggest you all go to bed soon, classes begin tomorrow." With that McGonagall left the great hall.

"So where is it?" said one of the only two Hufflepuffs to Harry and Hermione.

"It's on the third floor, behind the portrait of a bald wizard holding an hour glass." Said Hermione

"And the password?" said Dean

Harry smiled as if laughing at his own private joke. "It's sherbet-lemon."

"So does this mean we're all going to have to get along now?" said the only girl of the only three Ravenclaws.

"I really can't see why not." Said Harry

After Harry's statement there was protesting moans and grunts from most, others just shot the Slytherins fugitive glances.

Harry put his elbows on his knees and tried to compose himself. "That is enough." He said in a deadly whisper. "I'm going to tell you all something I told some others this afternoon. 'The war changed everyone'; no one in this room is an exception to that. I have come into this year with one motto; 'second chances'." Harry glared at everyone. "I for one think it's a fantastic idea, and I will be taking full advantage of the common room."

"Harry you can't actually forgive them?" said Ron

"Can't I? I'm not going to sit here and explain myself to you when I did that on the train today. Now if you don't mind I'm going to bed." Harry got up and walked out of the hall. He was about to walk up the stairs in the entrance hall when he heard;

"Potter!"

He turned to see Draco Malfoy jogging towards him. When he caught up he held out his hand and said; "Truce?"

Harry took it in his and said; "Truce."

Everyone that was in the great hall were now staring at the two shocked. Here were two formally worst enemy's calling a truce in the middle of a stair case, something's were even too weird for Hogwarts to comprehend. Harry merely glared at everyone else and made his way up the stairs.

**So what do you think? This is actually the longest chapter I have written (on fanfiction anyway) Please let me know what you think! Please Review!**


	2. Day one

**Disclaimer; **I own nothing except the plot

**Warning**: no real warnings are needed but I will warn you now that you will need warnings later

**A/N:** I don't really have anything to say here, so ENJOY!

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**Day one**

Harry woke early the next day; he had a very strange dream involving a pillow suffocating him. What made it strange was that the pillow kept changing shape, it started out as Ron, the Kingsley, then McGonagall, and then it was Ginny. If that wasn't strange enough, just before he woke up the figure of Draco Malfoy ripped the pillows away from his face. Harry just figured that he was just reeling from the fight the night before and those people were just random people that he knew, nothing in it. _'I hope'_

When he opened the draperies around his bed he saw that he was the only one up, which he was ecstatic about. This meant that he didn't have to get dressed in awkward silence and have painfully forced conversations with Ron and Dean. _'Plus' _he thought. _'If I hurry I could get down to the hall before Ginny wakes up.'_ Harry froze with his hand on the bathroom door. _'wow, where did that come from?'_ harry physically shook his head to remove those thoughts _'I'm just annoyed at her for being so closed minded.'_

Harry walked into the bathroom; he took off his pyjamas and stepped under a stream of steaming water. He closed his eyes and let it all run down his back. He was about to soap up when he looked down; when he did this he saw the scars that covered his body. He did not just have the one scar anymore, no his body was covered in them. The most noticeable one was an oval shape in the middle of his chest where Slytherins locket burnt into him. Ginny always tried to ignore them when they were in bed together she said that they remind her of a time she would rather forget. With a sigh Harry quickly finished cleaning himself and started to get dressed for his first day back at school.

Fifteen minutes later Harry walked into the hall wearing his black school robes and his new Head boy and Quidditch captain badges. Despite his best efforts he couldn't hide them, the crimson stood out vividly against the black. He headed towards the Gryffindor table and the strongest coffee the house elves could muster, when he noticed Draco, Pansy and Blaise at the Slytherin table. He quickly changed course and headed over, figuring that now would be a prime opportunity to talk to them about what they missed at the prefects meeting the day before.

"I couldn't help but notice," Harry said throwing himself down in the seat next to Draco, Harry chuckled when Malfoy jumped about a foot in the air.

"Damn it Potter, what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Draco pulled out his wand to clean up the pumpkin juice he had spilt down his shirt.

"Anyway, what I was going to say before Malfoy enlightened us with his vast vocabulary, I couldn't help but notice that the two of you," he pointed at Pansy and Draco. "Weren't at the mandatory prefects meeting yesterday on the train."

Draco and Pansy both opened their mouths to speak but Harry just held up his hand to silence them. "Save it. I understand why you both weren't there. If anyone knows what it's like to want to avoid the public eye, it's me. Now I can't promise you that you're going to be treated like the Hogwarts gods, like you use to be because lets face it, you won't be. But take it from me, when people are talking about you, the worst thing to do is hide just act like Slytherins and pretend that you don't care."

"Wow Potter," said Draco. "When did you become all pompous and insightful?"

"So down to business," Harry said, ignoring Draco like a pro. "McGonagall wants two prefects patrolling the corridors every night for an hour after curfew, to you know, catch anyone breaking it. Everyone will get different days, Hermione and I will be starting tonight. We will be putting a rota, which I am still to finish, up in every common room including the new seventh years one each week, understand?"

"Yes Potter." Draco said in a bored drawl.

"Fantastic, then I'll be off." Harry jumped up from his seat, before he walked away, he turned and said; "Oh and Malfoy."

"What do you want now Potter?"

"I just thought you should know that you have egg on your collar, but you obviously don't care too much about your appearance so you wouldn't mind would you?" harry smiled to himself, he knew that would stress Draco out because he was the single most vain person Harry had ever met.

Draco scowled at Harry and said in a slightly panicky voice; "What did he mean by that? Is my hair OK?"

"You're such a girl Draco; your hair is fine Potter was just baiting you." Blaise said biting back a smile. "And I have to say, it was a good way to do it as well."

"He is acting SO weird." Draco said, scowling into the back of his spoon, checking his hair. He slammed down the spoon and said; "Well this just settles it then doesn't it."

"Settles what?" said Blaise

"I am determined to solve the mystery that is the new version of Potter." Draco said while cleaning the egg off his collar

Pansy snorted into her juice and started giggling

"Oh this can't be happening," said Blaise. "Is Pansy Parkinson actually giggling?"

"You know Blaise, I think she is." Draco said with a bemused grin. "What in the name of Merlin would make Pansy Parkinson giggle like a Hufflepuff?"

When Pansy calmed down she said; "Oh Draco, you make me laugh."

"Me?" Draco was … confused to say the least. "What did I do?" she started laughing again. "Pansy! WHY are you laughing?"

"Because Draco Malfoy, I know you, I know you better than ANYONE. You are going to spend SO much time racking your brain, trying to manipulate Potter that eventually you are going to end up falling for him. Either that or you'll end up screwing him into your mattress; half the school has been in your bed anyway."

Draco made a fae that looked like he had swallowed a bucket of ear wax flavoured beans. "Parkinson; Potter and myself may not be trying to rip out each others throats anymore, but that does NOT mean I want to shag him! It's a challenge, something to keep me amused, that's it, nothing more."

Pansy gave Draco a smug smile and said; "You say that now, but you come back to me in about four or five months and try and convince me."

"Pansy you've lost it." Draco turned his attention to his food, trying to convince himself that his friends' sanity was still intact.

Across the hall at the Gryffindor table Harry was poring himself a dangerously strong cup of coffee._ 'I swear'_ he thought to himself. _'The first coffee of the morning is almost better that sex… almost.'_ His state of ecstasy must have shown on his face because Hermione sat down opposite and said;

"Comparing coffee to sex again Harry?"

"Good morning to you too Hermione," Harry said helping himself to some eggs. "How are you on this fine morning?"

"Look Harry, cut the sarcasm for a minute, I have something I want to talk to you about."

"And what ever could that be?" Harry just knew she was about to mention what happened last night.

"I wanted you to know that I'm with you and McGonagall. I think it's high time we put our past prejudice towards the Slytherins exactly there, the past, like you said; 'Second Chances'."

"Wow thanks Hermione I actually thought you would have been with Ron on this point. Now all we have to do is convince the rest of the school of this. And here I thought this was going to be hard." Harry's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Hermione smiled sweetly at him as she poured her own coffee. "Baby steps Harry, baby steps."

Harry chuckled slightly and ate in comfortable silence before the others turned up for breakfast.

"Good morning my darling." Ginny said as she sat down in the seat next to Harry, she wrapped an arm around his waist and nuzzled his neck. "A little owl told me that you called a truce with Malfoy last night. And this was after you blew your horn at the rest of the seventh years."

"Ginny my dear, the Hogwarts gossip fairies will never cease to amaze me that their speed." Harry placed a soft kiss on Ginny's lips. He was ecstatic that the thought from this morning didn't return and he deepened the act.

Harry pulled away when he heard someone clearing their throat. He blushed slightly when he saw Ron standing next to Hermione.

Ron looked at the floor and said; "um… hey harry."

"Morning Ron." Harry said this slightly harder than he normally would.

"Look Harry," Ron said sitting down. "I'm-"

"It doesn't matter Ron." Harry put his arm around Ginny's shoulders. "So what does today look like for everyone?"

"Dunno yet." Ron said through a mouth full of bacon.

"Well obviously we won't know for sure until McGonagall comes around with the new timetables well we?" said Hermione. "But she alluded that Muggle Studies will be first up today, which means that Harry, you'll be free till the next class. What will you do?"

"Probably check out the new common room, maybe try and start that rota." Said Harry

"Oh OK, good idea." Said Hermione.

"I still don't understand why you didn't pick up Muggle Studies." Said Ginny. "Everyone else in the school did."

"Malfoy, Zabbini and Parkinson aren't doing it either." Harry said in his defence but automatically realised it probably wasn't the best way to do it.

"No surprises there then." Ron mumbled into his juice.

"Ron." Harry said in a warning tone. "For all you know, they may not be doing for the same reasons as me."

"Oh come off it Harry. Fair enough you don't want to be constantly fighting with the bloke, but it's obvious why he's not doing the subject." said Ron. "Honestly, Malfoy has always and will always be exactly that, a Malfoy."

Harry was about to bite at Ron for being closed mined and arrogant when Professor McGonagall came around with the timetables.

Fifteen minutes later Harry found himself walking sown the third floor corridor. When he arrived at the portrait of an elderly wizard with grey hair that reached his shoulders, grey eyes, wire rimmed glasses, holding an hour glass, he said; "Sherbet-Lemon."

"Enter Mister Potter, I must say I do love this room, I'm sure you will all also love it."

The old man swung backwards to reveal a large circle room fantastically decorated. On one side of the room were desks and tables with lamps and chess boards. The other was filled with the most puffy, comfortable looking couches Harry had ever seen there was a large fire place on one side, the walls were lined with book shelves and the floor was covered with thick rugs. And on the walls were tapestries for each house; a scarlet one with a golden lion for Gryffindor, a yellow one with a black badger for Hufflepuff, a blue one with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw and a green one with a silver snake for Slytherin.

Harry let out a low whistle and said; "Impressive." He could easily picture himself spending a lot of his time in here. He remembered studying for his OWLs and the common room in the tower being almost unbearably loud. At least here, everyone will be studying NEWTs so it should be kept to a dull roar. _'Yes'_ he thought to himself. _'I could get VERY comfortable here.'_

He slid into a double sofa in front of the fire, and pulled out some parchment, quills and a bottle of ink. He settled himself in to start the first week's rota, but it wasn't very long before he threw down his quill. "Fuck it!" he lent back in his seat. "I need Hermione."

"Now, now Potter, Head Boys aren't suppose to talk like that are they?" Draco said walking into the room followed by Blaise and Pansy.

"Wow this place is amazing." Pansy said with her mouth wide open.

"Pansy," said Blaise. "That face really isn't attractive."

Pansy blushed slightly and said; "Do you mind if we join you Harry?"

"Not at all, take a seat." Harry motioned to the seats around him and moved his stuff off of the space beside him.

"Thanks," said Pansy, she took the spot next to him, while Blaise and Draco sat on the two singles opposite them.

"So Potter, tell us," said Blaise. "How come you're not doing Muggle Studies? Everyone else is."

"Because my slippery friend, the whole thing is a colossal cosmic joke, it's completely insane." Harry explained. "God, even the muggle borns have piked it up, it just seems like everyone is just over compensating."

"Touché Golden Boy." Blaise said with an impressed smile.

"Golden Boy?" said Harry with a confused look. "_Please_, don't let that catch on. The profit is STILL on the 'Harry Potter the Chosen One' trip." The three Slytherins all laughed at this, "So how come you three aren't doing it?"

"Well Draco is in the same boat as you," Said Pansy, then added; "See you're not the only one who can be all pompous and noble. But Blaise and I have brains between our ears."

Harry was confused. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, we know that if we did it people would just give us shit for doing it. We're going to get enough shtick this yeah without actually drawing attention to ourselves."

"Smart plan, well kind of." Said Harry

"What do you mean by that?" said Blaise

"Well two reasons. 1 – People have already started talking because you're _not_ taking it up."

"Fantastic." Mumbled Pansy

"Yeah, and 2 – I told you this morning, you guys really shouldn't run and hide away."

Harry picked up his quill again and gave the rota a second go and let the Slytherins have a conversation over him. Half an hour later he put his quill down, fell back into the sofa and said; "Oh thank Merlin, I'm finally done."

"Done what?" said Pansy

"This weeks rota." Harry sighed

Draco picked up the parchment, after he read it he said; "Potter you have me down here twice."

Harry rolled his eyes and said; "All the seventh years are down twice Malfoy, except me, I'm on three times this week."

"So we spend two nights a week patrolling the halls." Said Pansy. "What about our studies?"

"We rotate weeks with the teachers, so this week is students and the next will be teachers, so we don't fall behind. And I'll put younger prefects on as well to reduce the pressure." Said Harry

"Hey Potter," said Blaise after a moments silence. "I have a question for you."

"I have no doubts about that." Harry said with a smile.

"Why did you come back this year?" said Blaise

"What do you mean?" harry said with a confused look.

"I forgot how slow Gryffindors were." Blaise said, rolling his eyes. "How come you came back to Hogwarts this year? I heard Kinsley offered you a job as an auror. Isn't that what you wanted to do when you left school?"

"Yeah Kinsley offered me a job, the day after the war actually." Said Harry

"Evasive much," said Draco. "So why DID you come back? You didn't have too. It's not like you need your NEWTs."

"Because I'm going to graduate, then work for the ministry." Harry said this as if he had said it countless times before, then added; "It's what's expected."

"Ah… expectations," said Draco. "I know them well. Once upon a simpler time I was expected to finish school, honour the Malfoy name and then marry Pansy."

"Pansy?" said Harry

"Arranged marriage," Explained Pansy "But that isn't expected anymore… thank god."

"You know Pansy; if I wasn't so sure of myself I could very easily take offence to that." Draco said with mock hurt.

"Draco I love you, but I don't know how I feel about the fact that my husband will end up having an affair with the house boy." Pansy said while trying and failing to stifle a laugh.

"I'm confused." Harry admitted again.

"Shocker." Draco said in sarcasm. "let me spell it out for you, I'm gay Potter."

"Really?" Harry looked like he was pondering this over in his head. "And here I thought you were the school slut. Well now that Seamus isn't here that is."

"That's still true." Said Blaise with a quick nod.

"How did you-" Harry's sentence was cut off by the portrait swinging open and all of the other seventh years filing in.

"Wow this place is great." Said Dean

"Yeah… hey look chess." Said Ron. "Hey Harry, there you are. I was looking for you. I was wondering where you pissed off to after breakfast."

"Ronald, I see you are as articulate as ever." Said Hermione sitting on the arm rest next to Harry. "Oh harry is this the rota for this week?"

"Yep, now I just have to draw up the Quidditch tryouts poster."

"Oh when are they Harry?" asked Dean

"I've booked the pitch for Saturday." Harry said rubbing his eyes.

"Hold on a second Harry" said Hermione "You haven't put anyone on with you Saturday night. You're supposed to have two people on per night."

"Yes Hermione, I know this, I got the same letter as you. But as you can see, it's the first Saturday back, so I thought people would like to spend it with their friends."

"Yeah but Harry, you just proved my point for me. Everyone is going to be hanging out with friends so there is going to be more people out after curfew that ever. You're going to need someone else's help. I would have put more people on than normal." Hermione said studying the piece of parchment.

"OK Hermione you win," said Harry. "You can find someone willing to waste their Saturday night, their FIRST Saturday night back. Then I'll put them on the rota with me."

"I'll do it." Said Draco

"Wait what? What was that Malfoy?" said Harry "Did Draco Malfoy, just offer me, Harry Potter, help?"

"Yes Potter, I did." Draco said rolling his eyes. "Now you can either take it in good will or I'll take it off the table."

"Alright Malfoy I'll put you on Saturday night. But you do realise that this means you'll be on three nights instead of two."

"Whatever Potter."

Harry finished the rota then cast a spell so that a copy went up in each common room. He checked his watch and said; "Oh shit, we have defence against the dark arts in two minutes."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Hours later Draco, Blaise and Pansy could be found walking around the lake.

Draco said something which had been playing on his mind all day. "Potter was acting even weirder today."

"Yeah," said Blaise "I think you really need to solve this. I don't think I like this Potter it's kind of un-nerving. At least when he hated us I knew where he stood."

"Yeah, and did you notice how he acted when Draco said he was gay?" said Pansy

"So I wasn't the only one that got the impression that he wanted to say something after that?" said Draco.

"I got it," said Blaise. "Maybe Potter's gay."

"Nah," Said Malfoy

"Why not?" said Pansy, "He could at least be curious."

"Did you not see how he greeted the feminine weasel this morning? Nah if he was curious he wouldn't be acting like that." Said Draco. "This is starting to frustrate me; I should have something by now, god Potter knows how to get on my nerves. And the worst part is, he doesn't even know he's doing it."

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**So what did you think? Please let me know!**


	3. Quidditch, Bitch Fights and Arses

**Disclaimer; **I do not own Harry Potter in any way shape or form (well except the books, movies and a bucket load of merchandise.)

**Warning;** Strong language an a pissed off Ginny

**A/N;** This chapter was going to have a lot more in it but I couldn't stop writing and if I put everything I wanted to in here it would be three times as long. The next chapter will have it in though. ENJOY!!

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**Quidditch, Bitch Fights and Arses**

Harry had a true honest smile on his face as he made his way around the Quidditch pitch. It was the first Saturday of the new school year and Harry had an almost completely uneventful week, well at least as uneventful as life at Hogwarts can be. Only one duel broke out, that was between a third year Ravenclaw and a forth year Slytherin. And only three students were admitted into the hospital wing and they were because of accidents in Potions, Herbology and Transfiguration. Harry was mazed that so far he hadn't been injured or been in a duel or received a detention and no one had tried to kill him.

But what was making him really happy was the fact that he had Quidditch try-outs today. He hadn't had a chance to use his new Firebolt yet and he was itching to be up in the air again. However he still had a few hours before try-outs began so he was checking out the pitch and then he was going to go over strategies in the Captains office. Normally he wouldn't be down there as early as he was but he felt like he was suffocating inside the castle.

The Gryffindor team was as popular as ever and prospective members were sucking up worse than ever. They seemed to think that a redundant amount of cauldron cakes and a dozen bottles of fire whiskey would guarantee a spot on the team. The fact that they were so determined made Harry push them as hard and as far as they could go. As he sat in the Captains office, he knew that if they could impress him with what he had planned, they deserved a spot.

He was about to pick up the equipment when he heard what sounded like the stampede sequence in Jumangi. He picked up the awkward shaped box and made his way down the long dark corridor that lead to the stadium. When he arrived at the pitch he didn't see Robin Williams and a various array of jungle animals, he did se a pack of excited lions however. Granted they were only Gryffindors but Harry was fairly certain that they were just as deadly.

Forty Gryffindors stood in front of him they were all holding a broom and looked just about ready to pounce. Harry noticed two strange things about the scene before him. The first was that in all of the Gryffindors he could only see one flaming red head. The second was the silver head of Draco Malfoy sitting in between Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabbini. He would deal with why the latter was here later, he was more intrigued with the former he knew Ron loved Quidditch so why was he missing he chance to be on the team.

He walked over to the heard and dropped the box on the ground. "Before we start; Dean can I have a quick word?"

"Um yeah, sure Harry." They walked away from the group not too far, just out of hearing range. "What's up Harry?"

"Where's Ron? I thought he would have wanted to try out for Keeper again."

"I really don't know Harry, I asked him at breakfast if he was and he said that he had a heap of homework. I was going to question him about it but then Luna came and he left" dean kicked at the ground guiltily. "I'm sorry Harry; we don't really get a lot of alone time."

Harry waved off Dean's apology. "It's not your fault Dean it is weird though isn't it?"

"Yeah, but now probably isn't the best time to discuss the inner workings of Ron's brain." Dean indicated towards the waiting Gryffindors.

"Oh yeah, you're probably right." Said harry. "It might take a few hours."

They made their way back to the group; Harry moved his wand to his throat and said 'snorus'. "Good morning everyone, I thought that we could warm up by flying three laps around the stadium."

With a kick of the ground they were in the air. Harry spent the first half lap enjoying the feel of the wind on his face; he loved flying and missed it completely. Harry started weaving in and out of them all to observe their techniques. It was stunning a t how many of them actually had the wrong technique and Harry was amazed that most of them didn't fall off. The only people who were actually flying correctly were the people who were on the team before. Harry made a mental note to work on flying during practices.

Once they had all landed Harry separated them into four groups; Chasers, Beaters, Keepers and Reserve Seekers. Reserve Seeks was the smallest group so he got them to go first. After three concussions brought on by people being hit in the head by a golf ball at great velocity, hay found his second. A third year girl who had out flown the other seekers and Harry had to admit, she was a better seeker than Ginny.

He picked three beaters who would be rotating games. Two were fifth years and one was a sixth (he thought that reserves would be a great idea because he had too much experience with missing players for his liking). The sixth year actually hit a bludger with such force he knocked a bird from the sky. His Keepers were both from forth year, neither had Oliver Woods skill but they were fantastic and didn't lake confidence like Ron but weren't overly cocky.

He jumped off his broom and instructed the unsuccessful Keepers to get of the pitch the turned his attention back to the Chasers. They were all sitting in the middle of the field watching all of the other players. "Ok, you two go to either end and do what you do best," he said to the two Keepers who had followed him. "The rest of you, I want you to have a Chasers match." He waved his wand and half the team were now wearing gold shirts and the other half were wearing red. "Red, your scoring area is that one, gold is the other."

Harry flew up to moderate the game as well, "OK this is just like an actual game but with less obsticles and more people."

"Harry?" said a forth year.

"Yeah?"

"Before we start, what are you looking for?"

"I want to see skills and speed, but I also want teamwork. Alright, we ready?" Harry blew his whistle and they were off.

Harry was starting to get an idea of the Chaser's talents, he was currently trying to decide between a third year and a sixth year. It was then that he saw something he never would have believed. He blew his whistle and said; "GINNY! What the FUCK do you think you're doing?"

"Nothing Harry." Ginny said with an innocence that didn't fool Harry for a moment.

"Don't you fucking lie to me Ginny" Harry flew directly at her. "Tell me what would go through your head that would make you do something unbelievably stupid and you could get away with it? Get out of the air Ginny." The two flew back down to the ground. Harry rounded on Ginny. "Explain, NOW!"

"Why do you care Harry?" Ginny was getting just as angry as her boyfriend. "It really wasn't that long ago, mere months that you would have done the exact same thing!"

"NO!"

"Yes Harry that's the truth and you know it!"

"NO Ginny I wouldn't! Never would I EVER hex someone with out them knowing!" Harry was less and angry now and more pissed. "I can't believe you would actually think I would!"

"Why are you defending them all of a sudden? Why are you now best buds with Slytherins? And do NOT give me that second chances bollocks! I deserve an actual reason!" Ginny screamed. "You wouldn't be acting like this a year ago."

"No Ginny you don't 'deserve an actual reason'! And I would be just as pissed off at you a year ago, even with out the 'second chances bollocks'!" Harry screamed back. "I'm yelling at you as Head Boy now, NOTHING gives you the right to hex someone, even Malfoy, while their back is turned! If I didn't know any better I would think you have been waiting for the prime opportunity to do it!" Ginny was looking everywhere but Harry's eyes. "Oh my god you have been doing that! Go shower Ginny!"

"No, try-outs aren't over."

"Go shower Ginny!"

"NO!"

"Ginny, go shower."

"No, you can't tell me what to do."

"On this field I can Ginny. I am captain of this team, what I say goes. Now go shower and calm the fuck down! We will discuss this later."

"No I'm not leaving I'm a Chaser on this team."

"No, no you're not." Harry said through gritted teeth.

"What the fuck do you mean by that?"

"I mean," said Harry slowly, willing himself to calm down. "You are now a Chaser on this team Ginny."

"What?" she was outraged to say the least. "You're not going to let me on the team because of a senseless stupid truce you made with a guy who has tried to kill almost everyone you love? His family actually did kill people you love! Not to mention the fact that they tried to kill you!"

"OK first of all don't start acting like you care now. And second I'm not letting you on this team because I'm the captain and I have given you several orders over the past few minutes and you have blatantly refused each time. I can't have players on this team who don't respect me and you obviously don't so leave the pitch!"

"But Harry?"

"No buts Ginny, I've made up my mind."

"But I'm your girlfriend." She said quietly

"Yeah Gin you are, and I expected SO much more from you because of that." Harry turned his back on his girlfriend and faced the other Chasers that had gathered around. "I'm sorry I don't know all your names, but Dean and you two," He pointed at the third and sixth years he was debating over earlier. "You're my Chaser's. And you," He pointed at a second year. "You're the reserve. Everyone else I am sorry. Now everyone go and shower." Harry started to pack up the equipment as they started to leave.

"Do you want some help?" said Ginny in a small voice

"No thank you Ginny, I'm fine."

"Harry, I really do think we should talk."

"Later Ginny, I will talk to you later." He really wasn't in any mood for more yelling

"Harry, please."

"Later Ginny," He said this with a bit more bite than he normally would. "Please… just later."

Ginny huffed and said; "fine, whatever Harry." And started to walk away. Before she was too far gone she said; "I may be too busy later, but I'm sure you can spend all your spare time with your Death Eater friends from now on."

"Yeah maybe I will Ginny, maybe I will." Harry mumbled to himself and he continued to pack up all of the equipment

When harry had finished packing up all of the equipment he was about to pick up the awkward box and it started to levitate in front of him. He let out a sigh and said; "Ginny, I told you before, I will talk to you later."

"Potter! I am highly offended by your insinuation! I can not believer you would call us that!" came Draco's indigent voice. "I am not a Weasel and I am most certainly not THAT one god, you may be able to put up with her but no one else can."

Harry turned around and saw Draco flanked by Pansy and Blaise. Draco's wand was pointing at the box with the equipment.

"Well you do have to legs for it." Said Blaise with a smile

"I do not. I have man legs." Said Draco

"Oh yes Draco dear, the most masculine legs I ever did see." Pansy said rolling her eyes.

"I thought you guys left with everyone else." Said Harry

"We were going too, we only planned to stay till the end, and we made it look like we did." Said Blaise simply.

Harry smirked and said; "You know Zabbini, I'm never not confused by what you say to me. Do you ever not speak in riddles?"

"Yes, but then how can you tall that this isn't one as well?" Blaise said with his Slytherin smirk set.

"Blaise stop being a prick." Said pansy. "Harry what he means is that we were going to leave as soon as try-outs were over but then we saw the Weaselette blow her load at you and we HAD to stay, If only to see the aftermath. Also, I thought it might not be the best idea for her to see us talking so we had to kind of… hide."

Harry, despite his best efforts failed to stifle a laugh. "I'm sorry, but three Slytherins hiding from my girlfriend, that's funny, admit it. Oh I wish I could have seen it. I don't blame you though she's dangerous."

"Potter, do you want help carrying this thing or not?" said Draco rolling his eyes.

Harry continued to laugh silently. "Sure, why not." They started walking towards the captain's office. "So how come you came? Trying to steal my ideas? Get an inside look at the new team?"

"I'm not trying out this year." Said Draco

"How come? I thought you loved Quidditch, first Ron now you."

"Attention, don't want it, so I'm moving away from it."

"Oh OK makes sense," said Harry. "So why did you come?"

"Nothing better to do." Said Blaise shrugging

"I feel so loved." Harry started to unlock the door to the captain's office. The walked in and harry bent down and started to re-organise things in the corner.

While Harry was doing this, Draco's eyes started to grow and his breath caught in his throat. Pansy started to giggle and said; "I must say Harry, I love the new look. Much better that clothes that are about four sizes too big."

Harry stood up and looked at his new wardrobe. It was true he had gone out and brought himself a whole new look, he actually burnt all of Dudley's old clothes. He had various muggle clothes and new casual and formal robes. Today he chose to wear an ordinary black shirt and a pair of blue jeans (which Draco thought hugged him in all the right places) with a pair of converse trainers. "Um, thanks."

Draco cleared his throat a little and said; "Actually yeah Potter, it suits you. I never noticed before but you have a nice arse, wait you and arse."

Harry burst out laughing and sat in the chair behind the desk. "Yes Malfoy, I do have an arse, I've had one for as long as I can remember. And please refrain from checking out my behind, I'm taken."

"Draco can't help it Harry." Pansy said sitting on the desk in front of Harry, Blaise Draco took the two seats opposite the desk. "We told you before that he is the school slut."

"Don't flatter yourself Potter, I wasn't checking you out."

"Sure you weren't Malfoy, that's why your eyes threatened to pop out of you head." Harry said pulling out a piece of parchment. He tapped it with his wand once and the names and positions of all his players appeared.

"So what happened with the girlfriend" said Pansy

"You saw what happened." Harry said leaning back in his chair putting his feet on the desk

"Actually Potter," said Draco. "We didn't. We only saw from when you started yelling."

Harry exhaled and said; "Well I was watching the Chasers and I just happened to look away to see what the others were doing. When I turned I saw Ginny, she had her wand pointed at you Malfoy and you like everyone else was watching the movement of the Quaffle."

"That Bitch!" said Pansy. "She was actually going to hex Draco when he wasn't looking? Harry I'm sorry but she's a right little bitch. I wouldn't even do that."

"Yeah." Harry mumbled

"She seemed pretty angry when she left the pitch." Said Blaise. "What's going to happen between you and her?"

"Angry?" Harry said with a harsh laugh. "She was pissed. I'll probably shower, then I'll go back to the tower and she'll yell some more."

"Then what?" said Draco

"Well after she yells, I'll yell then probably make-up sex. Or we'll brake up again." Harry said with no enthusiasm.

"Again?" said Draco

"Yeah," Harry said making his way to the door. "Actually I should probably shower now actually, you never know how long she'll yell for." Harry left in the direction of the showers.

"Apparently he doesn't want to talk." Said Blaise

"Was that weird to anyone else?" said Draco. "Who knew that Potter and the Weaselette didn't have the perfect relationship? And it's almost like he wasn't even a little excited at the prospect of make-up sex. Everyone knows that's the best kind. This is getting really frustrating."

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**So I have a question for you all, should I put in another fight and bring in the next chapter so it's set right after this. Or set it a few hours later? Let me know!**


	4. Expectations

**Disclaimer; **I own nothing

**A/N;** I know I had something to write here but it's nearing midnight and I have been studying all day so I can't think. ENJOY!!

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**Expectations**

Harry made his way up to the tower as slowly as he dared. Usually Ginny was really predictable, she always brushed her teeth left to right, she always ate her vegetables first, and would always spend twenty-three minutes in the shower each morning. The only time Harry didn't know what she would do was when she was angry. He was really hoping that she would give him the silent treatment and ignore him for a few days, but he knew that was just wishful thinking. He was expecting a lot more yelling.

"Mister Potter."

"Huh?" without realising it he had reached the Fat Lady and just stood staring into space.

"I have asked you for the password four times now; you seemed to be in another world."

"Oh, I'm sorry, the passwords… um Horntail."

"Yes it is, now is something bothering you?" said the Fat Lady

"No." Harry lied

"OK," The Fat Lady said in a disbelieving tine. "Well if what's not bothering you happens to be young Miss Weasley, I would have stayed out on the pitch."

"Oh you have got to be kidding me, is it really that bad?" pleaded Harry

She just gave him a look that said; 'I'm sorry… yes' and swung open for him.

Harry walked slowly through the portrait hole into the common room. As soon as he got in silence ensued, Harry had to quickly make sure that he was in the Gryffindor common room, not some parallel world, the tower was never quiet. Everyone had stopped what they were doing; half were looking at Harry and the other half at Ginny. The latter had her hands on her hips and was pacing back and; forth; Harry had to admit that she had never looked more like a lioness stalking her pray.

'_Fan-bloody-tastic,' _He thought to himself_. 'She's been seething, now she's going to yell again. I hate it when I'm right.'_

"Where I have you been?" Ginny said in an obviously forced calm voice.

"Um… Quidditch try-outs." Harry said as if it was blatantly obvious.

"They finished over an hour and a half ago." Ginny said as she continued pacing.

"Yeah, then I had to pack up all of the equipment and then shower, not that it concerns you." He conveniently left out the three Slytherins and the fact that he walked the extra long way back.

"I was told that you left the pitch with the Slytherins." She finally stopped pacing and turned to face her pray.

"What does leaving the pitch with Malfoy, Zabbini and Parkinson have to do with this? We should be discussing what you did on the pitch. You know as Head Boy I should be giving you detention for a month."

"I can't believe you're still defending them. Everyone thinks what you're doing is completely stupid. That's why Ton didn't come today, he thinks that this pact is stupid and wants no part of it."

"Ok Ginny this is between you and me, stop brining in other people. And WHAT does my pact with Malfoy have to do with any of this?"

"I'm just trying to think of you Harry."

"Well stop before you hurt something." Said Harry dryly

"Harry how long is going to take you to realise that they haven't changed? They can't change!" Ginny's voice was becoming louder.

"Everyone changed Ginny, I've said that before. God, you should know that just as well as anyone else!" Harry said matching Ginny's volume.

"What the bloody hell do you mean by that?" she started to shake with anger.

"I mean, you're not the same person you once were, neither am I!" harry said throwing down his broom.

"Of course I'm not, how could I be? So many people I knew and loved died, including my big brother! There was no way I wouldn't change!" Ginny looked at Harry like he was sprouting a second head.

"Then you should understand that he is in the same boat. Malfoy lost people HE knew and loved as well, his best friend burned to death. Just because they weren't good people doesn't mean he didn't love them! For fucks sake Ginny his father will rot in Azkaban for the rest of his life and his mother is living in France because she had a nervous brake down. I would like to meet the fucking person who could go through that and not change at all!" Harry was yelling.

"Harry, listen to yourself! He was born a Malfoy and he will sure as hell die as one!"

"So you're telling me," Harry said in an almost calm voice. "That because his father was evil Malfoy is going to be evil as well?"

"Yep," Ginny said with a quick nod. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Well I'm positive Malfoy is not evil." Harry said, remembering the night in the astronomy tower when Malfoy couldn't kill Dumbledore.

"Look he may not be pure evil now, but he will be, like father like son." Ginny said simply

"OK, what about Sirius then?" Harry felt his anger boil again

"What about him?" Ginny was obviously confused

"He was the first Black to be sorted into Gryffindor in several generations. Also his cousins just happened to be Malfoy's mother and Bellatrix Lestrange. He also happened to be the greatest man I have ever known!"

Ginny groaned. "Sirius was an exception; he was always different from his family. Malfoy has always been the same as the rest of his family he's always been a prick. You can't say that he hasn't been bitching about us to you."

"No Ginny, you're right, I can't say that, but I can say that what they've said you've deserved, and then some." Harry heard someone sneeze. He looked around and remembered that they weren't actually alone. "Can we take this up stairs please?"

"Whatever." Ginny threw her hands up and stomped her way up to the boy's dormitory. Harry groaned, threw one last glare at his lions and followed her up.

Ginny walked over and sat on Harry's bed and put her head in her hands. Harry leant against the door, closed his eyes and said; "Ladies and Gentlemen; round two."

Ginny exhaled loudly. "What's going on with us Harry?"

"I dunno Gin," Harry sighed. "Maybe… maybe we're just not working. Maybe we're not meant to be."

Ginny looked up with pleading eyes. "Harry don't say that, you can't honestly believe that?"

"Can't I?" He said looking down at the floor.

"Harry, we're meant to be, we're just going through a ruff patch."

"But this isn't suppose to be as hard as it is, is it?" Harry's brow was frowned

Ginny stood up and walked to the door; she took Harry's hands in her own and looked into his eyes. "You know we're supposed to be together Harry. Everyone knows that you and me are made for each other. They all expect us to be marred in a couple of years."

Ginny had said the magic word. "No Gin, you're right. I just need to know what happens the next time you do something like that."

"There won't be a next time Harry."

"But how can I know that Ginny?"

"You just have to trust me Harry, please just trust me."

Harry didn't, but he knew it would cause less pain to just say; "I do."

Ginny smiled sweetly and gave him a chaste kiss. She leaned up again kissing him softly, Harry reluctantly reciprocated the kiss and she deepened it. Harry couldn't help but notice that his body didn't respond the way it use to, but he forced himself to concentrate on responding to it. Harry was amazed that not only did he 'get it up' but he also managed to 'keep it up' all throughout the make-up session. He realised that he felt absolutely nothing for her.

Ginny relaxed in Harry's arms and started kissing along his jaw line. "I love you Harry."

"I love you too Ginny." Harry hoped it didn't sound too mechanical. Only he didn't lover, not anymore, but he was expected too.

--

Two hours later, harry could be found studying in the seventh years common room. He was sitting on his favourite couch next to Hermione. He was currently writing a particularly nasty potions essay set by Slughorn he had to list the properties of the Wolfsbane potion. Hermione had finished that one and was now working on one for Ancient Runes.

Hermione could tell that something was bothering Harry. "OK Harry, what's wrong?"

"Potions suck." He said distractedly.

"No it's something else, what is it?" Hermione put down her homework.

Harry continued to study his potions text. "Is it true… about Ron, does he really resent me for the truce I called with Malfoy?"

"OK first of all that's not it, you've been acting weird for days. And second, he doesn't resent you he just doesn't understand. He'll come around. Now what's really wrong?"

Harry exhaled and put his quill down. "Hermione, take a look around, tell what it is that you see."

"Harry what does this…"

"Just do it Hermione."

"OK fine," she looked up. "I see students studying, reading, talking and playing chess."

"No Hermione, you don't." Harry said simply

"I don't?"

"Nope, you see Ravenclaws playing chess, some Hufflepuffs talking in the corner, two Slytherins reading and us studying." Harry said leaning back in his chair.

"What are you getting at?"

"This room is supposed to bring us together, it's not working." Harry said chancing a look around.

Hermione looked around as well and realised that Harry was right. "It's only been a week."

"Yeah," said Harry. "And unless we do something soon, it's only going to get worse."

"It sounds like someone has a plan." Hermione said with a grin.

"I may have." Harry said with a smirk worthy of a Slytherin.

"What do you have in mind?" she said leaning forward.

"It's kind of sneaky and you can't tell anyone."

"It'll be worth it."

"We're going to need McGonagall."

They spent the rest of the afternoon planning a cunning plan of unity. They went down to dinner together and then Harry went to finish his essay and Hermione went to make sure the first week back celebrations didn't get out of hand. At 8:30 Harry finally walked out of the common room. He didn't know where to go, he didn't want to go to the tower because of the celebrations, and he would have to leave in an hour and a half anyway to patrol the corridors. He decided to go for a wonder around the castle, somehow he found himself in the Great Hall.

He sat on top of the Hufflepuff table at the far end of the Hall with his back facing the door; he found his mind drifting back to the final battle and to everything that had happened since. He no longer had a sense of time as the thoughts went through his mind.

"Oi!" Came a voice from the end of the hall. "What are you doing here? It's past curfew."

"What?" The voice roused Harry from his thoughts. He turned to see Malfoy walking towards him.

"Potter?" said Malfoy. "What are you doing here? You should be patrolling."

"What time is it?" said Harry

"Around 10:45"

"Shit, I've been here over two hours, I guess I lost track of time." Harry said getting up. "I'll go patrol now."

Malfoy faced Harry completely, "Are you OK Potter?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "Of course I am."

"No you're not." Malfoy moved closer to Harry. "Potter are you crying?"

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Harry brought his hand up to his eyes and felt that he was in fact crying. "Hey look at that, I guess you're right." Harry made to walk past Malfoy.

Malfoy grabbed Harry's wrist to prevent him from walking away. "Potter what's wrong? Talk to me."

"What would you like me to talk about?" said Harry

"Oh, I don't know," Malfoy's voice was dripping in sarcasm. "How about why you're sitting in the hall crying when you're supposed to be patrolling for students braking curfew."

Harry pulled his arm free from Malfoy's grasp. "I told you that nothing's wrong." Harry started to walk away.

"Potter you can talk to me, I'm not Granger or the Weasel or that little girlfriend of yours."

"What the fuck do you mean by that?" Harry rounded on Malfoy; he was in full defence mode.

"I mean that I'm not that close to you so I won't judge you about why you're crying, god I already think you're a freak so my opinion won't change." Malfoy took a step closer.

"Why do you care?" said Harry

"Because if you don't talk to someone soon, you're going to explode onto people who probably don't deserve it." Malfoy said quietly.

"Talk? You want ME to tell you what's wrong with me?" Harry said with a harsh laugh.

"Yeah."

"Do you really think that I'm going to open up to you? You'll just go run off and tell all of your little Slytherins that the Gryffindor 'Golden Boy' is damaged, that he really isn't that perfect." Harry said in a deadly whisper.

Malfoy laughed softly. "We already know that you're not perfect Potter. And I'm not going to tell anyone."

Harry huffed. "I learnt an important lesson a long time ago; never trust a snake."

Malfoy grinned at that. "Wow Potter, that was actually clever. It's true we're slippery and will bite to kill it we're stepped on. Another one of the trademarks of a Slytherin is self preservation; we do what will gain the most for one's self. What would me telling your secrets gain me? I would gain nothing, I would in fact lose the trust I only just got from you, so I have no reason to tell anyone. Now, let it out Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes. "What do you want me to tell you Malfoy? Do you want me to tell you that I'm miserable? Or that not only am I miserable but I also have no idea why? I shouldn't be miserable; I should be happy, delirious actually. I should be celebrating just like everyone else in the Wizarding World."

Harry turned and sat on the table again. "Everyday I come here, everyday I come into this hall and every day I see the same thing. Do you know what that is?

Malfoy shook his head silently.

"I see everyone who died that day," Harry didn't feel the need to clarify the fact that he was talking about the final battle. "They're just lying there dead. I see HIM standing where you are right now, like it never happened. I wake up in the morning and it takes me a couple of minutes to remember that he's gone. When he died… when I killed him, my life was supposed to fall into place; I'm supposed to be happy. But I'm not, I'm supposed to just move on like none of it ever happened. Now I am expected to graduate Hogwarts, do a job I don't want to do and then marry a woman I don't love. And I really have no choice in the matter."

"That's a load of shit Potter," Malfoy said sitting next to Harry. "Of course you have a choice."

"No Malfoy, I don't. You told me earlier this week that you use to have expectations on you before your father went to Azkaban." Harry stood up and started to pace so he could think better.

"Yeah, but I don't see…"

"Remember what it felt like to have those expectations. You knew that no matter what you HAD to live up to them." Harry stopped as he chose his next words. "I've always had them, I was expected to do OK at school, perform really well in Quidditch and ultimately defeat Voldemort. I'm not saying that I didn't want to do those things but… I don't know… I fulfilled those expectations; I should be able to have my own life now right?"

Malfoy opened his mouth to speak but closed it again when nothing came out.

"Yeah, so you know exactly what's going on now. So I guess you can forgive me for crying every once in awhile. I feel I have no control over my life." And with that Harry walked out of the Great Hall.

Draco watched stunned as Harry left the hall, he never thought the latter could be so deep. Draco made his way down to his dungeons and let his thoughts wonder. He knew what Harry was going through, he had been there before. There had to be a way for him to get out of those expectations. He knew there was away to make him at least feel less pressured. Draco stopped in his tracks. _'When did I start caring about Harry? Wait… when did he become Harry and not potter?"_ He started walking again and somehow made his way in the Slytherin common room.

"Draco, are you OK?" said Pansy when he sat down.

"Huh?" he pushed himself from his thoughts.

"Are you OK?" Pansy said putter down her book.

Draco appeared to be thinking the question over. "Um, no… yeah… I don' know."

"Thanks for clearing that up." Blaise said leaning forward in his chair. "What happened?"

"I was um… talking to Potter."

"Really?" Blaise's face lit up. "Did you get the answers you wanted?"

"Um… yeah I did." Draco leant back in his seat.

"So is everything all clear now?" said Pansy.

"No," Draco stood up. "Actually I think things are murkier than ever now." Both Blaise and Pansy opened their mouths to say something. "I'm going to bed.

The two remaining seventh year Slytherins watched the platinum blonde walk to his dorm room. Blaise turned to Pansy. "Draco is really weird. You're the insightful one this year, what's going on with him?"

Pansy sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. "I don't know, I think that I may have actually been right to begin with."

"Which time?" said Blaise

"I think… I think that he may be falling for Potter." Pansy said with a small smile.

"I thought you said you were only joking." Said Blaise

"Well I was, but now… I don't know." She bit her lip. "Blaise, do me a favour?"

"What?"

"Don't say anything to them, I want to see where this is headed."

--

That night on opposite ends of the castle two boys lay awake in bed well into the morning. Draco in the Slytherins Dorm thinks about how to make Harry normal again. And Harry in the Gryffindors dorm wondering why he felt that he could talk to Draco and that somehow he knew that he could do it again.

* * *

**Now I need advice again. I want to know who I should set Ron up with. I don't want Pansy because I really don't like that ship too much except on occasion. I am open to all suggestions with him though.**


	5. Traped part 1

**Disclaimer;** I own nothing!

**Warning;** slight Ron bashing in this one but again no graphic scenes _yet_

**A/N;** I would love to thank my BEAUTIFUL BETA jeevesandwooster!

* * *

**Trapped (part one)**

The next week passed rather quickly for Harry. He actually gained his first detention of the year. He blamed Draco Malfoy for this. Not because they had been fighting, however. Harry wished it was that simple. No, Harry had been avoiding Draco since their encounter in the Great Hall and on his way to Charms on Tuesday Harry saw the blonde walking towards him and ducked into the nearest room. This would have been OK if said room hadn't been a girl's bathroom. To make matters worse he was thrown unceremoniously out, landing on the floor at Draco's and Professor McGonagall's feet. Harry had to endure the Headmistress' lecture about 'disgraceful behaviour' while Draco just stood there with a quirked eyebrow, smirking.

The week for Draco passed rather slowly. He had been trying to figure out Harry for two weeks and even with his biggest hint so far, he was still no closer to an answer. To make matters worse, Harry had been avoiding him. The only time they had come in close proximity to each other was when Harry got a detention. Even then all Draco did was stand back and watch in amusement. Needless to say, Draco had been obsessing more and more about Harry Potter, so much so that his friends were starting to notice.

"All I'm saying," Blaise explained as he and Pansy walked towards the seventh years' common roomon Friday afternoon, "is that it's really odd. I mean, just over a year ago he would do what ever he could to AVOID being anywhere near Potter. But now, all he does is talk about him and when he's not talking, you know he's thinking about him."

"Don't you start complaining now, Blaise. Sherbet-Lemon." Pansy added when they reached the portrait. "You were the one who was encouraging him to solve the giant mystery."

"Yeah well, that was before you came up with the brilliant theory about Draco falling for Potter." He fell into a chair by the fire.

"Blaise, shh," Pansy bit out as she sat down opposite him.

"What?" asked Blaise. "What did I say?"

"Just in case you haven't noticed," she whispered, "we are currently in a room full of gossip-hungry students. How do you think Draco will act when he hears rumours about his feelings for Potter, before he even realises he has them?"

Blaise's eyes widened in fear.

"Exactly." Pansy explained. "Now we still have half an hour, so we should start Flitwick's essay."

"Speaking of what's happening in half an hour. What _is _happening in half an hour?" Blaise said taking out his homework. "There is a party in the Slytherin common room tonight."

"I really don't know, Granger just said that she and Potter want all seventh years to be here at six. Some type of meeting, I think." Pansy started her homework.

Twenty-five minutes later the portrait swung open and in Draco Malfoy entered. He walked across the room and sat next to Pansy and across from Blaise.

"Where were you?" asked Pansy.

"Library," Draco stated as he took Pansy's essay to correct the mistakes.

"What were you doing?" Blaise enquiredas he finished his own essay.

"Going mad and hexing everyone." Draco said dryly, rolling his eyes. "Reading. What do you think I was doing?"

"Reading what?" Pansy askedleaning back in her chair.

"I was trying to look for a way to help Potter." He said, not looking up from the essay.

"And are you ever going to tell us why exactly you are trying to do that?" asked Blaise.

"Nope."

"Why?" Blaise probed.

"Because it doesn't concern you." Draco handed the essay back to Pansy. "That's good, but I'd change the wand movement if I were you. It should be a jab not a flick. If you performed the spell how you have it now, you'll destroy every metallic substance in the room."

Draco was about to pick up Blaise's when the portrait hole opened to reveal Harry and Hermione.

"There you are," Dean stood up from where he was watching Ron beat Neville at chess. "Are you going to tell us why we're here now?"

Harry wore a smirk worthy of a Slytherin and held up a red envelope.

"Potter, stop playing games," Blaise said standing up. "Some of us have places to be tonight."

"You might not make it to your party tonight." Harry opened the envelope and placed it on a table in the centre of the room.

"_Hello Seventh years," _came Professor McGonagall's voice. _"I trust your first two weeks back have been enjoyable. Now you're probably all wondering why you are here."_

"No, not at all." Draco rolled his eyes.

"_I will leave the bulk of the explanations to Mister Potter and Miss Granger but they thought it wise that I talk to all of you first. I would prefer if it didn't look like our Head Boy and Girl were holding you all hostage. Now, it has come to my attention that this room we are currently in is not serving its purpose. You are not uniting as well as I would have hoped. In fact I would be willing to wager that only a handful of you are actually trying._

"_I will now leave Mister Potter and Miss Granger to explain the logistics_ _of this… let's say…experiment. Welcome everyone; to the first ever inter-house seventh year celebration."_

"A party?" Ron had an amused look. "This is fantastic!"

"Weasley, are you actually that thick?" Draco said, also standing. He rounded on Harry. "Potter, what the HELL did McGonagall mean by holding us hostage?"

"Well," Harry said with an amused smirk. "The portrait will close in," he looked at the watch that the Weasleys gave him for his seventeenth birthday, "Ten minutes and it will stay locked until eight o'clock tomorrow morning."

"Wait, are you saying that I have to spend my Friday night with them?" Ron asked pointing at the Slytherins.

"No Ron," Hermione said calmly. "Anyone who wishes to is free to leave for the next ten minutes."

"What about all of our stuff?" asked a Ravenclaw.

"And food?" added Neville.

"House elves will be on call all night, just ask them and they'll bring whatever you need," Harry, gained himself a disapproving look from Hermione.

"Why should we stay?" Harry was surprised to see that it was Draco who spoke.

"And here I thought you were all for inter-house unity," Harry remarked.

"Oh I am," Draco admitted. "But certain people haven't been as open-minded as you. How can I be certain that a _Weasel_ isn't going to attack me as I sleep?"

"Get over yourself Malfoy," spat Ron.

"Hermione and I will be taking shifts sleeping and if any disturbances should take place, those involved will be severely disciplined." Harry's voice had an edge of danger.

"Tempting Potter," Draco said with his trademark smirk.

"Does that mean you're staying?" asked Harry.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Good," Harry brought his attention to everyone else in the room. "Now, in case you haven't noticed both male and female bathrooms have been added. Sleeping bags will be provided and I've told you all about the house elves bring up your stuff and food. I can honestly see no reason for any of you not to stay."

There was a slight murmur of agreement, the Harry said; "Does that mean you're all staying?"

"No." said Ron

"Why?" Harry said in a tired tone.

Ron rolled his eyes. "I've told you before. So has Ginny. They can't be trusted." Ron started to walk out of the room.

Harry grabbed his arm and hissed; "So you're not even going to try?"

"Nope. I have an important letter I need to write anyway." Ron said, wrenching his arm free.

Harry noticed Dean smiling knowingly at Ron, but decided to ignore it. When the portrait closed Harry mumbled, "That fucking stubborn prick."

"Harry!" Hermione hit his shoulder.

"Wow," Blaise ginned. "Who would have thought that our Head Boy had such a filthy mouth?"

"Yeah but Potter's right," said Draco. "The Weasel is too stubborn for his own good."

"Malfoy you're starting to agree with me a little too much for my liking," Harry said, and smirked.

There was a small 'pop' and a house elf wearing a gold locket appeared at Harry's knee. "Master Harry Potter sir?"

"Kreacher," Harry bent down. "What can I do for you?"

"Kreacher came to tell that it's time."

"Oh, thanks Kreacher. Well, you know what to do." Harry stood up.

Draco watched this with a look of amused bewilderment. "Potter is that YOUR elf?"

"Yeah, he is," Harry said, shooting the elf a proud smile. "Impressed?"

"Yeah, actually I am," admitted Draco.

Kreacher snapped his fingers and the portrait audibly locked them in. He snapped again and all of the furniture re-arranged itself. The tables were now around the walls and the chairs formed a circle in the middle. With one last snap, a pile of red, green, blue and yellow sleeping bags appeared in the corner.

"Dinner will be here in an hour and a half, Mister Harry Potter sir, and other nibbles and drinks will appear throughout the night. Is there anything else that you require?"

"Yes, Kreacher, could you please get some other elves and then go get everyone's pajamas and a change of clothes?" said Harry

"Of course." And with another 'pop' the elf was gone.

Everyone except Harry took a seat in the circle. "So what do we do now?" asked a Hufflepuff

"Well actually, I only came up with the idea to lock you all in one room," confessedHarry. "Hermione came up with the ideas for what we would actually do."

"Right, so Granger - tell us," said Blaise who was sitting on a sofa next to her. "What are we going to do to keep us from killing each other?"

"Well I um… I had a few ideas," Hermione stumbled; speaking in front of people was never her forté. "But I think that we should maybe start by using each others' first names. I mean, we've known each other for years and if we're going to try and get along, using last names isn't exactly going to help the cause."

"You know what this means don't you?" asked Draco.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"It means swallowing _years' _worth of pride, not to mention dignity."

Harry snorted. "What dignity Malfoy?"

"You know," said Pansy. "I think it's a good idea."

"Thank you Pansy," Hermione said with a smug smile. Everyone else nodded or murmured their agreement. Everyone except Harry and Draco, they were just evaluating each other from opposite ends for the room.

Draco smirked, "Fine, I can do this. How about you _Harry_?" he let the last word roll of his tongue.

"I'm always up for a challenge _Draco," _said Harry.

"Excellent." Hermione beamed. "Um… Harry, maybe you should sit down."

"Huh?" Harry suddenly realised that he was still standing. He moved and sat on the only seat still available - the one on the settee next to Draco Malfoy.

"OK, good," Hermione smiled. "Now another thing: As you all know two people have already called a truce, and if those two can put differences aside, _anyone _can."

"Hermione whoever could you mean?" asked Draco sarcastically.

Hermione smiled again. "I think we all need to start fresh. By this, I mean that I think that we need to forget about everything that happened before we walked into this room today. Now more grudges, no more petty disputes." Again everyone agreed with the Head Girl.

"OK, now," said Hermione. "We have known each other for years but we know nothing about one another. So I thought we could go around and say one thing that only a few people know about ourselves and then, once we do that, we go around again saying one 

thing _no one_ knows. I'll start by squashing a rumour about myself; Ron and I are not together. We were but are not anymore."

They went around the circle saying things like; 'I actually don't enjoy Quidditch' and 'I'm a virgin'. Soon it was only Draco and Harry left.

"I guess it's my turn," Said Draco. "This is actually harder than I thought, oh I don't know… how about… I'm gay."

Harry groaned in frustration. "I was hoping it was something I didn't already know."

"You knew?" asked a wide eyed Ravenclaw.

"Yep," Harry said. "He told me the first day back, and a week later I caught him checking out my arse."

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you this Harry," Draco groaned. "But I was NOT checking out your behind. When will you realise this?"

"When you stop lying," Harry said smugly.

"Oh get over yourself," Spat Draco.

"Careful, Draco," said Harry. "You're starting to sound like Ron."

"OI!" Draco yelped defiantly. "I am not anything like the _Weasel_."

"Anyway," Blaise interrupted, sensing an argument. "Let's here from the king of all Gryffindors, shall we?"

Harry tensed up. He didn't particularly like the idea of sharing personal information with people he barely knew.

Draco must have felt him tense up because he said; "Scared Potter?"

Harry relaxed slightly and smirked. "You wish."

They both burst out laughing at the private joke and everyone else sat gaping at them. They wiped away tears as their laughter died down.

"You two are really starting to scare me," Dean laughed.

"Why?" Harry was holding back giggles.

"Well, I'm still trying to get over the fact that you two are sitting on the same seat. Let alone laughing at some private joke," Dean was ginning.

"So, Harry," Draco said, changing the subject. "Are you going to tell us something now?"

"Oh, right, I guess so," Harry said leaning back. "Oh I have the perfect idea," he had a sly smile. "There isn't much about me that people don't already know, so I'll say something no one knows."

"Spit it out Po-Harry," said Blaise.

Harry grinned. "When we were getting sorted, I had to convince the hat not to sort me into Slytherin."

"NO WAY!" exclaimed a shocked Draco.

"Harry," said Hermione. "How come you never told ME that?"

Harry shrugged. "It never came up."

"Can you imagine it though?" Draco asked leaning forward to talk to Blaise. "The most noble, idiotically heroic Gryffindor EVER a bloody snake!" Draco had a brilliant smile on his face. "Oh Harry, imagine how different it would all have been if you had taken my hand when I offered it. Oh this is going to humour me for a _long_ time. Harry Potter in green." Draco suddenly felt something twitch down south as the image of Harry wearing a Slytherin tie (and not around his neck) popped into his head. He cleared his throat and shifted slightly.

"Oh," Pansy cooed. "It looks like Christmas has come early for Draco."

Harry laughed. "OK next round."

"Alright," said Hermione. "But this time, Harry, you can go first."

"Me? Why?"

"Because," Hermione explained. "I'm interested to know what else you've been holding out on me."

Harry glared at the brunette. "Oh you suck Hermione." Harry bent forward to think. "Well this is really going to kill the mood but I can't think of anything else. I never thought I would see my seventh year here."

"Why?" Neville seemed confused.

"Don't be thick Neville," said Draco. "He's had a mad man after him since he was one. Isn't that right Harry?"

"Yep," said Harry, but Draco couldn't help but notice something in Harry's eyes. He wasn't telling the truth. "Anyway, I believe it's your turn, Draco."

"Oh right, um… this is harder than last time." He sat silent for awhile and the realisation dawned. "Harry, answer me this; why is that the Weasel and his sister hate me so much?"

"Because they don't trust you." Harry thought this was obvious. "But what has that have to do with anything?"

"Why don't they trust me?" Draco ignored Harry's question.

Harry groaned. "Ginny says you're an 'ex-Death Eater'."

"Draco," Dean whined, "do you always have to be so cryptic?"

"I was never a Death Eater."

"Really?" Harry's eyes were full of hope.

"I never got the mark." For some reason he seemed to be speaking only to Harry.

Harry smiled slightly, but everyone else (including the other Slytherins) looked completely shocked. The circle continued but Harry and Draco weren't paying attention, both were processing what the other had said. Harry's suspicions had just been confirmed and Draco's mystery was getting deeper.

* * *

**What did you think? I think I might put in some quality Harry Draco time, you know; time where they can bond. What do you all think about that?**


	6. Trapped part 2

**Disclaimer;** I own nothing, it's all Jo's

**A/N;** I would like to thank my lovely BETA jeevesandwooster who made me realise that castration may make Draco a bit squeamish. ENJOY!!

**Trapped part two**

"Harry."

"Draco."

"Come on Harry, Wales have a superior Seeker by far. The Irish have a fantastic Keeper but that's it."

"Draco, how many times are you gong to make the same excuse before you realise the person you're really trying to convince is you?" This was true, Draco had indeed given Harry the same reason why the Welsh Quidditch team was better than the Irish six times now.

They were sitting on the same settee that they were when they first sat down earlier that evening, only now they had their legs crossed and they were facing each other. The two boys had been sitting like that most of the night. The rest of the year had broken up into smaller groups and they weren't house specific either.

"Whatever, Potter." Draco crossed his arms and he took a quick look around the common room. "Looks like we're the last ones awake."

Harry looked around slowly. "When did that happen? Last time I checked they were making more noise than a drunken Hufflepuff. Anyway, you can go to sleep if you want. Hermione and I have to take turns patrolling tonight but that doesn't mean you have to stay awake as well."

"To tell you the truth, I'm really not that tired." This was more like a half truth. It was true that Draco wasn't that tired, (he had a few too many Butterbeers and was now fighting a caffeine high,) but he also saw this as a prime opportunity to get some straight answers out of Harry. After all, men have to be completely alone, in a locked room, in the middle of the night before they will have an in-depth conversation. "But perhaps we should relocate over there." Draco pointed to the large window on the opposite side of the room.

"Yeah good idea," Harry stood up and stretched. "I really don't want to be the reason that a bunch of lions and snakes wake up hours early. I know the lions will be ready to kill."

They walked over to the window, it had a seat in front of it and was encased in a box. The two boys sat across from each other with their legs crossed and their backs against the wall.

"It's a full moon," Harry said absently. He stared out of the window and looked up at the white round face that was the moon. He thought of Remus, the wolf that fought like a man, only to end up returning to his marauders. He thought of Nymphadora, a woman who fought with vengeance as well as acceptance, only to end up following her husband. And he thought of Teddy, who like Harry would grow up without his parent's guidance. But unlike Harry, Teddy will grow up hearing stories of his parent's bravery. Teddy will grow up knowing family and he will grow knowing love. These thoughts caused a tear to fall from Harry's right eye.

"Harry?"

"Oh shit," Harry jumped. "Draco, I forgot you were there."

"Clearly." Draco smirked. Then his smile softened. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah," Harry flashed Draco the smile he used on everyone in his life. The smile that said everything is fantastic when really it was the opposite. "I'm always OK."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that crap Harry. I've told you before that you can talk to me."

Harry stared at Draco, debating whether or not the blonde would ever let him just wallow in his own emotions. "Fine," he sighed. "I was thinking about Remus."

"Remus?" Draco searched back into his memory, he had heard that name before… but where? "Wait… Remus Lupin? The werewolf? Our old professor?"

"That's the one."

"Why were you thinking about him?"

"It's a full moon, he's dead and he was best friends with both my dad and my godfather."

"Oh," Draco started staring at the moon as well. "Didn't he get married?"

"Yeah, Nymphadora Tonks. They had a son not long before the final battle… they never did get back to see him."

"Oh god, what happened to him?" Draco stopped looking at the moon and opted for Harry instead.

"Well, Remus made me godfather the night Teddy was born, but he's living with his grandmother now. We both agreed that I'm too young for the responsibility of a parent. But I try and see him as often as possible and Andromeda is always sending photos." Harry pulled the mole skin satchel that Hagrid gave him for his seventeenth birthday out and found a photo of a baby changing his hair from pink to blue to green then back to pink again. He gave the photo to Draco.

"Oh shit, Harry, I'm so sorry." Draco handed the photo back to Harry.

"Thanks." Harry put the photo away. A very pregnant silence followed this exchange. Harry continued to look up at the moon and Draco continued to look at Harry.

"Harry, can I ask you something?" Draco asked.

"I have a feeling you will anyway." Harry wiped away tears.

"You remember last week in the Great Hall?"

Harry smiled slightly. "Oh you mean when Dean got up on the Ravenclaw table and announced that he loves Luna?"

"No, you know I'm not talking about Hogwarts' strangest relationship."

"Yeah, I know." Harry's eyes were downcast. "You mean when you found me in there."

"Yeah, you told me that you're expected to do a job you don't want to do." Draco paused for a moment so Harry could remember what he said, when Harry nodded Draco continued. "What job is that?"

"Auror."

Draco was taken aback. "But… but I though that's what you've always wanted to do."

"At one stage, it was." Harry admitted, he was still looking out of the window. "But then after Voldemort died… I started to have doubts. I spent so many years looking for a way to bring him down, now I just want to relax. I don't want to chase the bad guys anymore."

Draco nodded slightly. "Then what do you want to do?"

"I think I want to take a year off and travel. I want to be a part of other cultures; I would love to go to Australia. Then, I dunno. I don't really ever have to work… I have the Potter and Black fortunes, but I wouldn't mind playing Quidditch. But I can't."

Draco wanted to scream at Harry. He wanted to say that there's always a choice, that he didn't have to go down the path that the wizarding world paved for him. But Draco knew it wouldn't help. He had been in that situation before. Something drastic would need to happen before he could be free of the expectations.

Harry looked over at the sleeping figures across the room. "How long do you think it'll take for that to happen?"

"What?" Draco turned to where Harry was looking.

"Hermione and Blaise." The two had separated into their own corner early and there they stayed. They had spent the whole night discussing the laws of Transfiguration.

Draco smirked. "God, Blaise is so stubborn. He'll just deny any feelings he has for her for a couple of months before he snaps."

"Hermione's the same. It took years for her to stop denying her feelings for Ron, and when she did admit them we were in the middle of a war." They both laughed at their friends' blindness.

"Um… Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Earlier, when I told everyone that I wasn't a Death Eater… everyone was surprised. That is, everyone but you."

"That's because I wasn't."

"Why? I mean, I gave you plenty of reasons to be. Why weren't you?"

"Well for one, you couldn't kill Dumbledore."

"True, but how did you…" Draco paused; he remembered back to the astronomy tower, he remembered the second broom. "You were in the tower. You were with Dumbledore."

Harry nodded. "And when Ron, Hermione and I got captured and brought to the Manor, you didn't turn us in. Even though you knew it was us, you protected us. I guess I never really knew for sure, but I did hope. And I know that if you did get the mark it would have only been because you had to protect your family."

"Wow, you're more perceptive than I thought." Draco had a soft smile. "This is so weird."

"What is?"

"You and me, I never thought we could stay in a locked room together without killing each other. And on top of that, I am having a deep conversation with you."

Harry laughed slightly. "Yeah well, at least we're not ripping out each other's jugulars."

Draco chuckled. "Very true."

"Hey Draco," Harry said slowly. "You're always asking about me and my feelings but we never talk about you."

"Not much to say." Draco put up the mask he spent years perfecting, a mask that hid his true emotions.

"Oh, don't you even think of doing that."

"Doing what?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "You know bloody well what Draco. Don't you put up the unreadable mask of yours. I'll keep your secrets, just as you do for me."

Draco lent his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "There really isn't much to say. Over the last few months my whole life has been all over the _Prophet_."

Harry lent forward. "Yeah I know the things that have happened to you over your life, but I don't know how you feel about it all."

"I'm fine."

"Draco," Harry put a hand on the blonde's knee. "I'm not the only one who could explode from buried emotions."

Draco opened his eyes and looked at the hand on his knee. "Fine, what do you want to know?"

Harry took his hand away. "How about your dad?"

"What about him?"

"Well he's going to be in prison for the rest of his life. And there's only the slightest chance that you are going to be able to visit him. Aren't you upset about that?"

Draco looked out of the window. "Would I sound truly horrible if I said no I'm not and that I'm actually relieved?"

"How come?" Whatever Harry was expecting it wasn't that. "I thought that the two of you had a great relationship."

Draco shook his head. "Well I guess we did at one point, before _he_ came back into our lives." Harry didn't need clarification; he knew _'he'_ was Voldemort. "After that, he really wasn't my dad anymore. Being the Dark Lord's right hand man caused him to be drunk with power.

"I tried to get his approval all the time. I was doing what was expected of me and more; I always put my wants and needs after his. I turned into a truly evil git for the man but he didn't give it a second thought. He was always more than happy to put mine and mother's lives at risk. When the Dark Lord came to me and told me that I had to kill Dumbledore, I was scared. I knew that if I failed not only I would be killed, but my family as well. But I also thought maybe Father would start caring.

"Now though, I think I'm happy he's locked up in Azkaban. Mother is finally able to breathe freely, she's living in France and is starting over, and she doesn't have to be scared that a Death Eater will sacrifice her or me. And I don't have any expectations on me. The Malfoy fortune is in my name now, so I really can do what I want with my life." He chuckled sadly. "I sound truly horrible."

"No you don't," Harry shook his head. "It sounds like a dream."

"You know…you could have that, too."

"Have what?" Harry looked into the blonde's silver eyes.

"Freedom, no expectations, maybe the life you've always wanted."

Harry scoffed and looked out of the window again.

"No Harry, it's true. You know that I used to have expectations on me as well."

"Yeah and you lost them because your father went to prison. I don't have an escape route."

"There's a way for you to have it too. I know there is."

Harry sighed and hugged his knees. "Yeah well, when you figure it out, let me know."

"Oh, I will."

They sat in silence for awhile, both deep in thought, and then Draco asked, "Why did you lie?"

"When?" Harry looked back to Draco.

"When we were talking about one thing no one knows about us. You said you never thought you'd see the seventh year. But you also said it was because of the Dark Lord."

"That wasn't a lie; I honestly thought Voldemort would kill me."

"Yeah, that's probably true, but it's not the whole story is it?"

Harry closed his eyes. "How is it that I can't lie to you? No Draco it's not the whole story, far from it."

"Then what is?"

"I thought it would be either Voldemort, or my uncle."

"What?" Draco was confused; he had always thought Harry was pampered.

"Vernon, my uncle, he hates all things to with magic. I never even knew I was a wizard until my eleventh birthday when Hagrid came and told me. It wasn't until I first started to get Hogwarts letters that they gave me a room, and even then it was only because they were scared."

"Where did you sleep before then?"

"The cupboard under the stairs. Uncle Vernon would beat me and when Dudley, my cousin, was old enough he did as well. I found out later that my uncle was trying to beat the magic out of me. He would say that I was a useless freak." Harry seemed absent as he spoke. "Whenever I did something wrong, I would be locked in my room, they would feed me cold soup through a cat flap and only let me out to use the bathroom three times a day. There were many times when I thought I would never leave Privet Drive."

"But… but… but," Draco stuttered. "But you're Harry Potter, you're the saviour of our world. You're famous. How could they do that to you?"

"They didn't care who I was, to them, I was just some little good-for-nothing freak."

Draco was furious. For some reason he had a sudden desire to cause immense pain to the muggle. But he was also scared because of the way Harry had said that last sentence. It was almost like he believed the words. And on top of that, Harry seemed OK with what happened. "Why aren't you angry?"

Harry stood up and shrugged. "It happened, I'm not denying that but it's in the past and I'm not there anymore. I don't think Hermione and I are going to have to patrol tonight; everyone's dead to the world. I'm going to go to bed. You coming?"

"Yeah, OK." They both grabbed sleeping bags and went to where Pansy was sleeping with Neville and Dean. The two boys fell into a very uneasy sleep.

The next morning Harry woke up when a sudden weight was added to his chest. "What the fuck?" He went straight for his wand that was underneath his pillow.

"Harry, calm down," said the weight.

"Hermione?" Harry put his glasses on. "Not that it's not a pleasure to see you, but what the fuck did you wake me up for? And why are you sitting on my chest?"

"I could ask the same fucking question," came a voice to Harry's right. He turned his head to see Pansy sitting on Draco's chest.

"Well," Hermione started, but she didn't move from her position. "Blaise and Dean are bitching because they want to go flying and I didn't know what to tell them."

"Then why am I awake?" Draco moaned.

"Because I was bored and thought it would be amusing," Pansy said with a smile.

"Harry!" Hermione hit him as he was falling asleep again.

Harry groaned. "Tell them to go fucking flying and leave me to sleep!"

"Looks like the boy-who-lived is not a morning person," Blaise laughed.

"Bite me, Zabini," Harry yawned.

"But Harry, it's only seven." Neville said timidly.

Harry shocked everyone by laughing. "Hermione get off me." Harry got up and walked to the portrait. "You don't honestly think McGonagall would let me lock you all in." he had his hand on the door.

"You mean that's been unlocked all night?" Blaise's jaw almost hit the floor.

"Yep, McGonagall said I could make it look like it was locked but I couldn't actually do it."

"Wow Harry," Draco was in awe. Pansy had released him so he was now standing in the crowd. "You really should have been in Slytherin."

Harry chuckled and opened the portrait door. When he did a long nosed, freckled red headed figure rolled into the room. "Ron?"

"Harry!" Ron stood up and flattened out his clothes. "I thought the door wasn't supposed to open till eight."

"Yeah so did the rest of us," said Dean.

"What are you doing here?" Harry tried to bite back a laugh as the image of Ron tumbling through the door kept playing over and over.

"I came to apologise," Ron mumbled. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Harry was wide eyed. "Um… that's OK, but can I ask what brought this on?"

"I got a letter last night; in fact I better go reply now." Ron waved to everyone and gave Draco a small nod of acknowledgment.

Harry was almost speechless. "That was weird."

Dean tried to stop himself laughing but failed miserably. When he calmed down enough he said; "Oh Harry, you don't know the half of it."

"What do you know Dean?" Harry was completely confused.

"You really wouldn't believe me if I told you. I'm going flying." And with a smile he left.

**So what did you think? :)**


	7. A Sandy Haired Secret

**Disclaimer;** I own nothing…

**Warning;** boy/boy kissing, it's not much but it will get graphic from now on, so if that offends you… leave now.

**A/N; **Thanks to my wonderful beta jeevesandwooster who finds all of my stupid mistakes and gives me AWESOME comments! So that's enough ramblings from me for today… enjoy!

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**A Sandy Haired Secret **

September passed into October and the change brought with it a slight chill in the air. As this was happening Harry tried desperately to coerce information out of Dean. He wanted to know why Ron was acting weird and who he got that letter from. But whenever Harry asked Dean the latter would just say things like; 'Harry, it's really only a theory anyway' or 'it's Ron's business if he wants to tell you or not'. Harry knew that his Chaser loved having this secret to himself and that that was the real reason why he still didn't have his answers. Eventually Harry got fed up and went to the source of his problem, but Ron went Gryffindor red and acted like nothing was happening. He had tried to talk to Hermione, he thought that as his ex-girlfriend she would have some insight but that wasn't the case, she would just say 'I don't know what got into him but I'm glad something has knocked some sense into him' and leave it at that.

Everyone else was slightly intrigued by the sudden change of heart Ron had but few gave it a second thought. Few, that is, but Draco Malfoy; he thought it hilarious and wanted to know what would cause the older red head to roll into a room. Harry and Draco had many long-winded conversations on the subject, during these Draco came up with some… interesting theories. These theories ranged from; 'maybe the weasel's finally getting laid' to 'he's probably coming up with a cunning plan to over throw the Chinese ministry' the latter was a result of a night of no sleep and excess Butterbeer between the two in the common room. Harry had noticed that Draco refused to call Ron 'Ron', when Harry questioned this Draco just said; 'Weasley wasn't at the party so he doesn't deserve the honour of me using his given name'. They had been in Transfiguration when this was said so the burst of laughter this comment caused resulted in them losing 20 points each from their respective houses.

The second weekend of October brought with it the promise of their first Hogsmead trip of the new school year. The seventh years had all made plans to go to the village together. Only two red heads seemed to have a problem with this, which became evident on the Thursday before the trip over breakfast.

"I already told you and Hermione and Dean that I can't go Harry." Ron managed to say through a mouth full of bacon. "I have a huge Charms essay that I need to finish."

Harry thought for a moment. "No you don't, I'm in that class as well and Flitwick gave us a week off homework."

"Yeah but he told me to write a three foot essay explaining how and why I messed up the incantation on Tuesday." Ron said picking up more bacon.

Harry laughed at the memory. They were supposed to be practicing disillusionment charms and Ron had somehow managed to turn the professor's ears, nose and lips red, green and purple. "But can't you do it on Sunday?"

"We have Quidditch on Sunday." Ron rebutted.

"Come on Ron, you've never missed a trip because of homework before."

"I said I can't Harry!" Ron slammed his way out of the hall.

"He's getting weirder by the day." Harry mumbled to his goblet.

"He flew past weird on his fifth birthday." Ginny sat so close to Harry that he was amazed that he didn't have a lap full of the red head. "What was all that about?"

"He doesn't want to go to Hogsmead on Saturday, but he won't tell me the real reason why."

"That's right, Hogsmead weekend." She kissed him softly and whispered into his lips. "Where did you want to go?"

"Oh… uh… um… you see the thing is that um." Harry had just realised that he had forgotten to tell Ginny about the plan he had with the other seventh years.

"What is it Harry?"

"Now, don't get mad." Harry shut his eyes and cringed, he realised he had said exactly the wrong thing.

"What is it Harry?" Ginny's voice was a forced calm.

"I kind of promised the other seventh years that I'd go with them, you know, as a group." Harry told this to his right shoelace.

"WHAT?" Ginny screeched. "Harry!"

"Ginny, just calm down OK, people are staring."

"I don't care if people are staring Harry! You're supposed to go on the first trip with me!"

"Look Gin, I am sorry, but they did ask first."

"I shouldn't have to ask!" Ginny was livid to say the least.

"Ginny it's done, I really can't change that, I'm going to Hogsmead with them. But I can always hang with you Saturday night."

"Whatever, Harry." She stormed out of the Hall in the same fashion as her older brother.

"Never will I ever understand the two of them."

The rest of the week passed in an uneventful blur for the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and before they knew it Harry was walking down to the entrance hall with Hermione and Dean. Harry was amazed that most of the student body was able to fit in the hall. Standing at the front near the double oak doors were the rest of the seventh years, towering over the other years.

Harry was about six feet away from the smaller group when he was pulled away by a red head.

"Ginny, what are you doing?" Harry was shocked because he had just found out how strong his girlfriend was and because she hadn't spoken to him in two days.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry," she looked into the emerald eyes. "I had no right to say what I did."

"It's OK Ginny." Harry mentally kicked himself, 'why can't I just not talk to her again?' a voice whispered in his head, and then another in there answered for him. 'Because you're supposed to be with her, it's expected.'

Ginny broke into a huge grin and hugged him tight, then she whispered; "Maybe tonight we can have some fun of our own."

Harry hoped above hope that his face showed excitement and not the disgust he was feeling. Apparently he'd hid his nausea well because she kissed him softly and went to join her friends.

Harry made his was through the crowd to where the other seventh years stood. They were all chatting together, except for Pansy and Neville. The latter must have said something hilarious because Pansy was crying tears of laughter.

Harry's confusion must have shown on his face because someone came up to him and said, "It's weird I know, I think Dean and Lovegood may have some competition as Hogwarts weirdest couple."

Harry turned around with wide eyes to see Draco. "Are you telling me that those two are dating?"

Draco smirked. "I'm not yet, but it won't be long till I am."

Filch started checking names off the list and scanning people with his secrecy sensor. When he got to Draco he gave the blonde an extra sharp jab I his rear end.

Harry laughed as Draco cringed and started walking with a limp. "What was that for?"

"I may have kicked Mrs Norris the other day."

Harry laughed again and they walked for awhile in friendly silence.

"So," said Harry. "Neville and Pansy, and Hermione and Blaise that just leaves you Draco."

"Leaves me what?"

"Sad and Single." Harry stated simply. "Anyone on your radar at the moment?"

"God no," Draco cringed. "I am quite happy being unattached at the moment thank you very much. Anyway all the gay guys here are really whiny and annoying."

"So it's just you and old lefty then?"

"Believe you me Potter, my left hand can give me more pleasure then the slim pickings at this school."

"I know the feeling." Harry muttered as Ginny and her friends walked past.

The two teens spoke about everything from sex to Gryffindors chances against Slytherin the next day (surprisingly Draco knew that Gryffindor would win as 'they no longer have any competition for Potter') on the walk to the small village.

The group went to Zonko's and Honeydukes as soon as they arrived. When they were leaving Blaise asked; "So where to now?"

"Three Broomsticks?" suggested Pansy.

Everyone made their way to the village pub but Harry stopped short in the middle of the road. "That's odd."

"What is?" Draco asked he had stopped when Harry did.

"I think, no… I know I just saw Ron walk down the street. But he told me that he wasn't coming in today. He said that he had an essay to finish." Harry started fishing around in his bag; he pulled out a silky cloak. "Here, get underneath."

"Fuck Potter, I always wondered how you get away with sneaking out, merlin but you're a slippery Slytherin."

Harry gave him a smirk that was worthy of a snake and they started off after Ron. It wasn't long until they were right behind the red head he made a straight line for the village's shabbier pub 'The Hogs Head'.

'_What is he doing?'_ Harry thought to himself. They carefully slipped into the pub behind Ron and followed him to the back where a familiar sandy haired boy was waiting. Harry was going to make his presence known but stopped when Ron greeted this person with a very heated kiss.

"What the fuck?" Harry didn't realise he had let the cloak fall.

"Harry!" Ron went scarlet.

Draco burst out laughing. "Who'd ever imagine it? Finnigan and the Weasel!"

"Wotcher Harry, Malfoy." Seamus greeted them with a slight nod and a large smile.

"Don't 'wotcher' me!" Harry was borderline hysterical. "Did I or did I not just catch the two of you snogging?"

Seamus held up his hands in surrender. "Maybe you should sit and calm down. The maybe we can discuss this, OK mate?"

Harry nodded mutely and sat next to Draco, he blinked when Seamus took Ron's hand and in his own. "How long?" he somehow managed to choke out.

"Only since Neville's birthday." Ron reassured them.

Harry closed his eyes; he looked like he was trying to figure out a tough math problem. "Wait… Neville's birthday, that's then night you and Hermione split."

"Yeah," Ron nodded. "After we did split I downed a whole lot of firewhiskey, you know drown my sorrows a bit. I was depressed because I always thought me and Hermione would end up married. But somewhere I ran into Seamus, he was just as wasted as I was. And then… well I don't remember exactly how but one minute we were trying to figure how much firewhiskey it would take till Filch became attractive and the next we were at Seamus' flat."

"Wait hold on a minute," Draco looked to be struggling to remember a piece of information. "Finnegan, you told me that you'd never do a relationship… ever."

"That was fifth year Malfoy." Seamus turned to Ron. "Me and Malfoy had a… thing in fifth year, it was purely physical." Ron nodded and they shared a chaste kiss.

Harry put his face in his palm. "I hate the fact that this isn't the weirdest thing I've heard today."

"I guess Dean and Luna have even more competition for strangest couple." Draco said dryly.

Harry laughed slightly. "Wait… I have another question."

"Shoot." Ron was smiling, he had expected Harry to be mad but he seemed to be taking it OK.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Harry was slightly hurt. "It's not like I'd judge you. God when Draco told me that he was gay I just told him to stop checking out my arse."

"I swear Potter, this is the last time I'll tell you this; I wasn't checking you out."

Harry just ignored Draco's protests. "Fuck Ron, even Dean knows."

"Dean knows?" The couple said in unison.

"Yeah." Was Harry's only response.

"Look at me Harry," Ron had a serious edge in his voice. "I don't know how Dean knows but if we were going to tell anyone you would already know. We wanted to keep it to ourselves, at least for awhile. This is so new and we wanted to be sure about each other first. The morning after, we woke up and it was weird and well we decided it would be a one night thing. But then we started writing to each other a few days later and it sort of progressed."

Harry was silent for a moment and the realisation dawned, he turned to Seamus. "You were the one that sent him the letter, the one that made him apologise."

Seamus smile slightly. "Yeah that was me. I just asked him how he expects people to accept us when we do decide to come out if he can't accept others."

"That is so corny." Harry shook his head.

"Maybe we should leave the happy couple to it, the others are probably worried." Draco stood up.

"Oh right, yeah." Harry stood and picked up his cloak, he turned to face his best friend, "I'm happy for you Ron."

Ron's face broke into a huge smile. "Thanks mate."

Draco and Harry walked in complete silence back to the Three Broomsticks. They moved to where their group was sitting and took the two available seats next to each other.

"Where were you two?" asked Hermione from across the table.

"A leprechaun was stealing a weasel's lucky charms." Draco mumbled dryly.

Dean burst out laughing. "I guess you two figured it out then."

Draco and Harry nodded silently.

"Figured what out?" asked a Hufflepuff.

"It doesn't matter." Harry got up. "I'm getting a drink, anyone want anything?"

"I'll come with." Draco stood up, when they got to the bar Draco looked at Harry. "You didn't tell them."

Harry shook his head. "No, it's Ron's business if he wants people to know or not, and if it makes him happy I'm all for it."

"So what do you think about it all… you know him keeping it from you?"

Harry ordered the drinks, and then bit his lip as he thought over Draco's question. "I think… I think sometimes Hidden Secrets are good for the soul."

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**Review?**


	8. A Way Out

**Disclaimer;** I own nothing…

**Warning;** like I said with the other chapter, it gets graphic from now on. In saying that there is no slash in this chapter but there is a more graphic boy/boy kiss. This is the last time I will warn people of this… if homosexuality offends you, pull out now!

**A/N;** I wasn't going to put this up till next week but I had it here and I'm bored so here you go. Thanks again to my wonderful beta jeevesandwooster! Anyway enough of my ramblings, ENJOY!!

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**A Way Out**

Draco had spent the past month waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself, for he needed to get Harry alone and _that_ was almost impossible. For two and a half months he had been trying to help Harry and once he actually did come up with the perfect plan he was amazed that it had taken him so long to figure it out. Today the wait was finally over; Gryffindor had lost their match against Ravenclaw. This meant that the only chance of Gryffindor winning the cup was if Hufflepuff beat both Slytherin and Ravenclaw, which was an impossible feat. This would mean that Harry would be brooding inside the locker rooms for hours.

Draco detached himself from the retreating students and headed down the dark hallways that led to the showers, lockers and captain's office. On his way down Draco passed the Ravenclaw team on their way to what promised to be an amazing victory party. They were carrying their seeker who somehow, after a five minute chase, had managed to catch the snitch before Harry. He walked into the Gryffindor locker room, a square room with three small aisles of six foot tall lockers. When he looked around he saw the sorriest bunch of lions he had ever laid eyes on. They were silent as they changed; a couple even seemed to be in a trance of sorts. Once they were all dressed they left in a pack with their heads bowed, not even noticing Draco leaning against the door frame. Draco noticed that the captain wasn't with his team, which could only mean he was still sulking around somewhere.

Draco's hunt didn't last very long because as soon as he turned down one of the aisles he saw Harry sitting on a bench at the very back of the room. He had his elbows on his knees and he was looking at the floor, his hair was still wet from his shower and he was wearing only a pair of tight black jeans that hung low on his hips. It was then that Draco noticed the battle scars that covered the savior's chest; they truly were marks of how strong he was. Draco had to admit, if only to himself, that Harry Potter had grown to be truly beautiful.

Draco sat down on the bench next to Harry; he lent his head against the wall behind them. Harry sighed and copied the blonde.

"I figured it out Harry," Draco sighed blissfully.

"What have you figured out Draco?" Harry turned his head to face the blonde.

"I figured out how to let you have no expectations, I told you that I'd let you know when I did."

Harry made a disbelieving noise in the back of his throat.

"No don't make that sound at me Harry, it's not very flattering. It's true, well kind of, . You see I was looking at it all wrong; I was trying to make all of your expectations just disappear. But yours is such a huge issue that they can't' just disappear. What you need is to _feel_ less pressured; you need to do that before you can _be_ less pressured."

"You've lost me Draco."

Draco turned his head and made eye contact with Harry, he smiled. "Sometimes Hidden Secrets are good for the soul."

Harry closed his eyes, he knew those words. "Hold on, that's what I said about Ron hiding his relationship with Seamus from me."

"Yeah and when we got back from Hogsmead it struck me like a stampede of hippogriffs. What you need is something that's yours. Something no one else knows about. Something that you have complete control over, where you get to decide what's right for you."

"So what did you have in mind? Should I write a novel?" Harry said sarcastically. "Or learn to play the guitar? Or, I know, I could become a mime."

"No Harry, I don't think you should become a mime, no one likes a mime." Draco rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling. "No Harry, I think we should have sex."

"What?" Harry jumped to his feet. "You are kidding me right? I'm not gay Draco."

Draco nodded. "No I know you're not gay Harry."

Harry shook his head. "Then… then why are you saying that the two of us should have sex then?"

Draco stood up as well. "Because Harry this isn't about gay or straight, they're just labels that don't apply here. This is all about what makes you happy. I'll just be coming along for the ride with you."

Harry shook his head. "Draco, I… I can't."

"Why?" Draco asked simply.

"I can't cheat on Ginny."

"Why?"

"Because she's my girlfriend Draco."

"Technically that is true Harry yes. But I'd be more than willing to bet that you won't feel any guilt if you do decide to do this."

"What makes you so sure of that Draco?"

"Because, to be able to feel guilt over someone you have to first care for them."

"I do care for Ginny."

"Not in the way a boyfriend should care for his girlfriend. You care for her as a friend at the very most a sister."

Harry shook his head again. "Draco, I'm sorry but I can't, it's wrong. I'm supposed to remain faithful to Ginny."

Draco took a step closer to Harry. "Let me prove it to you, let me show you that this will help. Let me do this one thing and then you can go away and think about it. We don't even have to talk about this again. You get to decide whether you want to continue this further or if you want another way out. And if you do want to think of another way, I will help you look. Just let me finish pleading my case."

Harry looked to the ground. "What did you want to do?"

"I'm going to kiss you Harry."

Harry's eyes became wide with fear. "What? But Draco… I don't… perhaps… maybe…"

"Harry, do me a favour?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up for a moment."

Draco closed the distance between them with one final step. He brought one hand up so that it was playing with the hairs on the back of Harry's neck and the other fell to the darker teen's hip. "Just let go" Draco whispered. The blonde placed a soft kiss on Harry's lips, which caused Harry to gasp. Draco took his chance and slid his tongue inside.

As soon as he felt Draco's tongue against his own Harry returned the kiss passionately. Their tongues danced together and Harry brought his hands up under the back of Draco's shirt and pulled him close.

When the need for air became too much for them, they pulled apart gasping for oxygen. They rested their foreheads together and looked into each other's eyes.

"Think about what I said Harry." Draco let his hands drop but Harry held on tighter.

"No, Draco don't."

Draco smiled slightly and they shared a chaste kiss. "You really do have a lot to think about. Come find me when you've made up your mind, I'll be waiting. It's your decision, whatever happens next is all up to you."

Harry closed his eyes and let his hands drop. Draco made his way to the door, but before he could cross the threshold, Harry had one last question. "Why? Why do you want to do this?"

"Because you're hot." Draco laughed, but then his face turned serious. "But also, I think that after all these years, we're finally friends. And no one means more to me than my friends."

--

Harry spent the next few days mulling over what Draco had said and done. Harry thought he had isolated himself from everyone, but no one seemed to notice. This made Harry wonder how Draco knew something was wrong with him if even his closest friends didn't notice anything. But what confused him more that that was; Draco was completely right, he had not felt an inch of guilt over kissing the other boy. He was very aware of the fact that he should, but he didn't. In fact something inside him wanted to do it again. Furthermore, he found that when he was alone with Ginny over those days, he felt wrong and almost dirty afterwards.

He was thinking about all of this on the Thursday afternoon following the 'incident' over lunch. He was shaken out of his thoughts by Ron sitting down next to him. This made him remember how Draco had come up with his cunning plan.

"Ron?" Harry put down his fork and faced the red head.

"Hmmm" Ron started to load up his plate.

Just as Harry opened his mouth to ask Ron a very important question, Dean, Neville and Hermione sat down around them. "Um… you don't have anything next do you?"

Ron's mouth was so full of bacon that he couldn't talk so he merely shook his head.

"Um… do you want to take a walk around the lake?"

Ron gave Harry a curious look, but nodded anyway.

Once everyone has said their goodbye's and left for class, Harry walked outside with Ron next to him.

"How's Seamus?" Harry asked when they reached the edge of the black lake.

Ron blushed scarlet. "Yeah he's alright, he told me to say 'hey' from him."

"So you two are going alright then?"

"Yeah," Ron smiled. "Don't get me wrong it's great but it's also kind of weird, you know only communicating with each other through letters, but it's also sort of cool." They walked on in silence for five minutes. "So are you going to tell me the real reason you wanted to walk around the lake? Because I know it wasn't to talk about me and Seamus."

"Actually it is." Harry said honestly. "Well sort of, I just… I wanted to know, this secret you're keeping, it's huge. Do you ever feel guilty about keeping it?"

"Well now that you, Dean and even Malfoy know, it's hardly a secret anymore. And well you and Dean, you're mine and Seamus' best mates, so you two were going to be the first to know anyway."

"But what about before Draco and I walked in on you two? Did you ever feel guilty then?"

"No." Ron said with no hesitation. "I mean I guess I did want people to know, so I wouldn't be sneaking around. But… it really does make me happy and I just wanted to have something to call my own."

Harry nodded and mulled this information over as they continued to walk in silence.

As they made their way back to the castle Ron paused and turned t Harry. "Why did you want to know all that for?"

"It's just been on my mind for awhile now."

--

Two weeks later Harry was having breakfast in the great hall with the other seventh years, as they had taken to sitting with each other during meals. Today they were at the Slytherin table. Everyone was talking about their plans for Christmas; it seemed that everyone except Draco would be leaving to spend the holiday with family. Harry had received a letter a week previous inviting him to the Burrow for the break. There was a time when he would have jumped at the chance to go there, but now he was delaying his response. He just wanted to stay behind so he could at least try and get his thoughts coherent, instead of the bubbling mess they were at the moment.

Harry was about to stand up to go to the Owlery, figuring he couldn't put off his reply to Mrs. Weasley any longer, when the post arrived. He spotted a very familiar owl and his face lit up when the bird flew straight at him. When it landed Harry gave it a piece of bacon then tore the envelop open eagerly and began to read the letter enclosed.

_Harry__, __  
I have read your last letter to Teddy every night for the past week. I think he's starting to __recognise__ it's you because as I read he looks at the photo I have of you next to his crib. I think he's really starting to miss his god__father.__  
That's actually the reason why I'm writing to you. Now I know you most likely have plans with the Weasley's for Christmas. And if you do please don't cancel them. Teddy and I will be spending the day with some of Ted's family. I was thinking of stopping in to see you Christmas Eve if you are still at school. Please let me know either way. And like I said; please don't cancel any plans you have already made.  
I hope you are safe and healthy.  
Andromeda and Teddy_

Harry smiled greatly as he read the letter over again.

"Who's the letter from Harry?" asked Hermione, who was sitting closer than what was strictly necessary to Blaise.

"Mrs. Tonks." Harry grabbed his bag and stood up. "I'm going to send her a reply before class."

Harry ran straight for the Owlery so he could send two letters, one to Mrs. Tonks and the other to Mrs. Weasley.

--

There was a sharp knock on the portrait door. Everyone inside the room jumped.

"Who is it?"

"Ron, is Harry in there?"

Everyone in the seventh year's common room froze at the tone in Ginny's voice.

"Shit." Harry cringed and looked at the portrait door.

Draco clicked his tongue. "Has our mighty saviour done a naughty?"

"What did you do Harry?" asked Dean.

"I sort of maybe told McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley that I'm staying behind for Christmas.

"Why are you staying?" asked Ron.

"Mrs. Tonks is bringing Teddy on Christmas Eve, I have to see them." Everyone in the room seemed to see the logic in this answer and accepted it, but they also knew that the fiery red head outside wouldn't see it the same way.

"Harry! I know you're in there, I've looked everywhere else!"

Harry bit his lip. "Do you think if I just pretend she's not there she'll just leave?"

Ron just gave him a look that said; 'No way in hell'.

"Who would have thought that the famous Harry Potter, the-boy-who-wouldn't-die was afraid of a seventeen year old girl?" Blaise laughed

"Blow me, Blaise." Harry walked to the door, he had his hand on the handle, he took a deep breath, fixed himself a wide smile, and then opened the door. "Ginny! To what do I owe the pleasure of the presence of my beautiful girlfriend on this fine day?"

"Don't even try that on me!" The tone in her voice made everyone cringe.

Harry swallowed but found he couldn't. Suddenly his mouth seemed very dry. "Maybe we should take this outside." Harry walked out of the room and closed the door behind them.

Ginny put her hands on her hips and glared at Harry. "Why?"

"Why, what?" Harry played ignorant.

"Don't even try and pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about! Why aren't you coming home for Christmas?"

"Mrs. Tonks and Teddy are coming to see me, I have to see him Ginny I haven't seen him since we came in on the train."

"But Harry, it's out first Christmas together." She looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"We'll have more." Harry felt sick at the thought of it.

"Well, then maybe I could stay here with you. I'd love to see Teddy again."

"No Ginny, you go. Bill and Fleur have that announcement, I told Ron that I think she's pregnant but he won't believe me. Charlie's going to be there and George _really_ needs his little sister this year. Not to mention your mum would have a fit if we both didn't turn up."

Ginny looked completely heartbroken, but she nodded anyway. Harry bent down and gave her a tight hug. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he watched her retreating back. He turned around and walked back into the common room.

"I see you're still in one piece." said Hermione, she was studying her potions text. "Did you sort everything out alright?"

"Yeah." He fell into a vacant seat. "We're having Christmas apart. She wanted to stay behind as well but can you imagine Mrs. Weasley's reaction? She'd probably have a stroke."

Everyone just went back to what they were doing. Only Harry noticed the proud smile that Draco sent his way. And so his thoughts about the blonde plagued him once more.

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	9. The Decision

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Disclaimer;

I own nothing… (have I said that enough yet??)  
**Warning; **I will not say this again so listen up! This story contains slash!! IF I HEAR ONE COMPLAINT THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE WILL BE PUBLICALLY HUMILLIANTED IN THE NEXT AUTHORS NOT!  
**A/N;** Thanks to my lovely beta again!! So anyway… ENJOY!!

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**The Decision**

Three days before Christmas everyone who would be leaving for the holidays went off on the train in the morning. Only a small cluster of students remained, two of which happened to be Harry and Draco. The two boys stood awkwardly on the front steps at first, they hadn't been alone together for more than two minutes since Draco cornered Harry in the locker room and made his 'proposition'. After ten minutes of awkward mumblings and aimless kicking at the rocks beneath their feet, Draco suggested that they go flying. They flew for hours in the freezing weather and light snow dodging pillars and towers and skimming the tops of the trees that made up the forbidden forest. They didn't land until mid afternoon, which meant that they had missed lunch. So they went to the kitchens and ate amongst the house elves.

Five hours later, after lunch and an early dinner, they moved off to the seventh year's common room, where they spent hours talking, playing chess and attempting to start their holiday homework. When it came close to curfew, neither wanted to separate as they weren't tired and they were having a fantastic day. Harry suggested that they relocate to Gryffindor tower, that way Draco could stay in Seamus' bed and they could chat for a few more hours without fear of detention.

Once they got to Harry's dorm, Harry started rummaging through his trunk looking for his pyjamas and Draco summoned all of his necessities.

"Merlin Draco, how many bloody beauty potions do you need?" Harry picked up one of the six potion vials that were sitting on Draco's pyjamas on Harry's bed.

"Perfection of this magnitude takes time and effort Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes and laughed. "I just knew you'd be a primper."

"I do not _primp_ Potter," Draco said indignantly. "Some of us prefer not to walk around with a mop on our heads."

Harry merely rolled his eyes in reply and slipped into the bathroom to get changed. When Harry emerged Draco was laying on top of Harry's bed with his hands behind his head. "You do realise that isn't Seamus' bed."

"Yeah the photos of your parents kind of gave that away." Draco gestured vaguely at the frame on the bedside table, which held a photo of the Potters' wedding day.

"So Draco tell me, why have you gone and made yourself so comfortable?" Harry lent against one of the posters of his four poster double bed and folded his arms.

Draco stuck his nose in the air, (which Harry thought to be an amazing feat as Draco was lying down). "I'm not tired Potter, so you are going to have to entertain me."

Harry rolled his eyes yet again and sat on the opposite side of his bed.

"You really should stop doing that Harry, your eyes will roll right out of your head one day."

"Yes Malfoy, whatever you say."

They spoke for hours about everything and nothing at all, but with all of the subjects that they spoke about, Harry still had a question that was waiting to be asked. He had wanted to ask Draco this question since he first found out that the other boy would be staying behind for the holidays. "Draco, how come you stayed behind? Pansy told me that your mum invited you to spend the holidays in France . Why didn't you go see her?"

"How is it that all the questions that you ask me, the answers always make me sound truly horrible?" Draco rolled onto his side to face Harry.

"Because I'm an evil bastard." Harry joked as he mimicked Draco.

Draco smiled slightly. "No you're not." He took a slow breath. "I didn't want to see her."

"Why? I thought it was your dad that was the problem."

"It was, but… oh how can I explain this?" He bit his lip and studied Harry for a moment. "OK, say you had to go back to your old home, only those muggles, they weren't there. Do you think you'd still want to go back? How would you feel about just being there?"

Harry shook his head. "No way, I… I couldn't… I'd hate it. Vernon's absence wouldn't change a thing. The memories would still… oh I see, just because your dad won't be there, it doesn't mean things will be different. Your mum still brings back all of those memories that you've tried to suppress. And sometimes the memories and the visions we create from them are worse than the reality."

Draco nodded slightly. "Exactly. Believe me when I say this Harry; I love my mum, I really do…but I can't face her… at least not yet. Maybe at some point, somewhere in the future, I'll be able to see her again without thinking of him, but not yet."

They were silent from then on, neither knew who fell asleep first but in the morning Harry really got the shock of his life.

Harry woke up from one of the best night's sleep he'd had in months. He felt refreshed and oddly warm. It was a strange kind of warm because it was different to the warm he usually felt from a blanket. He opened his eyes slightly and what he saw made them go wide. He was wrapped up, but it wasn't in a blanket, it was in _Draco_. Harry's head was on Draco's chest, his arms were around the blonde's waist and their legs were entwined together. Draco had his face in Harry's hair and his arm's around the other boy's body. To make this situation worse (if that were possible), Harry found he had a steadily growing problem… and it was digging into Draco Malfoy's thigh.

Very slowly and carefully he unraveled himself from his bedmate, careful not to wake the other. Once he was standing he crept off into the bathroom to have a very cold shower.

While he was standing under the freezing stream of water Harry let his thoughts stray to what had been plaguing his mind for over two months now; Draco's 'proposition'. Looking back on it all now, Harry realised that everything Draco had said was the complete truth. Harry still didn't feel guilty over the kiss and Draco hadn't mentioned it once, just like he promised. These thoughts made Harry deduce that maybe Draco was telling the truth about it making him feel better about his entire situation.

When the cold water started to become a bit too much, (and his little 'problem' had been… rectified), Harry switched the temperature to hot and quickly washed himself. When he got out of the shower Harry realised that he had forgotten to bring in a change of clothes. He dried himself, wrapped a white fluffy towel around his hips and walked back into his room.

When he walked back in, Draco was sitting up in bed running a hand through his hair, looking as if he had only just woken up. "Good morning, sleepy head," Harry greeted.

Draco looked up about to say something but found that his ability to form words had flown out of the window. He had seen the dark haired teen without a shirt on before, but this was so much different from the time in the locker room. Last time Harry was wearing pants, not just a low hanging white, fluffy towel. Last time Draco didn't notice the line of black hair that started just below the navel and disappeared under the white, fluffy towel. And last time Harry didn't have a water droplet rolling down from behind his ear, down his neck, over his Quidditch toned abs only to be absorbed by the white, fluffy towel. Draco was really starting to hate white, fluffy towels.

Draco cleared his throat. "Right… yeah good morning."

"Are you going to get up? Or are you planning to stay in my bed for the rest of the holidays? I'm going to head down to breakfast. Mrs. Tonks and Teddy are going to be here at nine and I would like to eat before they arrive."

"Um, yeah sure… just let me jump in the shower." Draco picked up his green towel, a change of clothes, his shoes, and his beauty potions. He strategically positioned them so that they were covering his rapidly ascending 'problem' and left to have a cold shower.

Thirty minutes later Harry and Draco walked into the Great Hall.

"Draco, how the _hell_ do you spend _twenty_ minutes getting dressed?"

"Perfection takes time."

"See I was right… you do primp Malfoy." Harry sat at the Gryffindor table.

Draco sat next to Harry. "I do not primp Potter."

Harry just laughed and started loading up his plate. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, Draco."

They ate their breakfast while swapping witty banter. Draco ended up leaving Harry alone in the hall, claiming that he wanted to give Harry some time alone with his godson, but Harry suspected that Draco didn't want to face an awkward conversation with the aunt he had never met.

Harry was in the process of pouring himself a third cup of coffee when he felt a light tap on his left shoulder. He turned to see Mrs. Tonks holding Teddy Lupin.

"Mrs. Tonks!" Harry jumped off of his seat.

"How many times do I have to tell you that it's Andromeda to you?"

Harry just rolled his eyes and gave her a huge hug. "Are you going to relinquish your hold on my godson now?"

Andromeda smile sweetly and handed the baby to Harry. "Hello beautiful baby, I've missed you so much." Teddy smiled and changed his hair from red to the same bubblegum pink that his mother had favoured.

They spent the whole morning walking around the castle together. Harry showed her all the secrets he had found over the years. They spoke about everything that had happened in the months since they saw each other last. Andromeda told Harry all about the changes that Kingsley had made since had been elected to office, the most significant being the new law that granted werewolves equal rights to witches and wizards. And Harry spoke about how he was doing his studies and about the changes he helped to make in inter-house unity.

By the time they arrived back at the great hall for lunch Harry was involved in a deep conversation with Teddy, (spoken in complete gibberish of course).

Andromeda looked upon this exchange with a fond, yet sad, smile. "You really do miss him don't you?"

"Everyday." Harry didn't need clarification to know that she was talking about Remus. "It's really weird being here and living each day out like everyone didn't lose at least one person they loved, like it never happed. Sometimes I find myself asking why we did it all sometimes, whether it was worth it. But then I look at this little man and it all just clicks, we did it for him and the rest of his generation. They can all grow up safe and happy without fear of being killed by some madman."

"Remus would be so proud if he could see you right now. I remember when Dora had little Teddy here, the conversation about godparents didn't last long. He really didn't want anyone else but you. He always held you in the highest regard."

Harry smiled at that. "I just wish I could do it full-time."

"I know Harry, but you're very young and you have to put your needs first."

Harry looked up into Andromeda's eyes. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For letting me help out. For letting me be a part of his life. For letting me finally have my own little family."

"I wouldn't have it any other way Hun. And in a few years you and Ginny can start your own little family."

Harry's smile faltered slightly. "Yeah, maybe."

Andromeda gave him a curious look as she stood up. "We really need to be off Harry dear."

Harry held on tighter to Teddy. "I don't suppose you want to give me this one as a Christmas present?"

"I don't think that will go over too well with the Hogwarts staff."

Harry gave Teddy one last kiss before reluctantly handing him back over to Andromeda. He walked them to the entrance hall and hugged them one last time.

"Oh Harry, before I forget," Andromeda paused before she made it through the front doors. "Can you do something for me?"

"Yeah of course, anything."

"Please, just be happy. It doesn't matter what or _who_ makes you happy, so long as you are. If anyone deserves it, it's you."

--

Harry didn't know how he got there, but the next thing he knew, he was standing in the seventh year's common room looking at Draco.

"Um… Harry?"

"I can't do this anymore Draco. I thought I could, I really did. I thought that you may have been wrong. But then I realised that it was me that was wrong, not you. You see, Andromeda, she told me that I should be happy no matter what. I think she somehow knows something. The thing is Draco, I'm not happy with Ginny. I don't want to marry her… but I know that I can't leave her."

Draco stood up and made his way over to Harry. "Exactly what is it that you are trying to say?"

"That offer… I don't suppose it's still valid?"

Draco's answer was a hard kiss that nearly knocked the two over. Harry responded with equal force and plunged his tongue into Draco's mouth. Their hands wandered over each others' bodies.

When they broke apart for air Draco took Harry's hand. "We can't do this here, come on."

Draco led them out of the common room, dropping Harry's hand as they entered the corridor. He led him up to Gryffindor tower, through the common room and up to Harry's dorm.

Harry cast a quick locking and silencing charm on his door.

Draco took each of Harry's hands in both of his own and entwined their fingers. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," Harry breathed.

Draco stepped forward and took Harry's lips as his own. The kiss was soft yet passionate, strong yet delicate. It was everything Harry had been searching for and more, all at once. Draco pulled them over to the bed and lowered Harry onto it without breaking the kiss.

As soon as he hit the bed Harry started getting nervous and tensed up. "Just relax OK, Harry?" Draco climbed on top of him. "I will stop whenever you ask me to."

Harry nodded but he was still tense.

Draco lowered his head down to the darker boy's neck, he kissed and licked his way down, careful not to leave any suspicious marks. He slowly undid the buttons on Harry's green satin shirt, kissing exposed skin as it presented itself.

When the buttons were undone, Harry rose off of the bed so Draco could remove it. Draco took his time to kiss and lick each and every scar that covered Harry's chest. Harry let his mind spare a thought to the fact that Ginny never treated him like this. Ginny always avoided his scars like they would infect her, and when they were together they always seemed to be in some sort of a rush. Draco was taking his time, getting to know Harry's body inch by inch. He seemed to be worshipping the body beneath him. Harry could feel himself relaxing into Draco's touch.

Harry pulled Draco up and started kissing him again. He lowered his hands and pulled the shirt that the blonde was wearing up and over his head. When he threw the shirt in a random direction, Harry looked at Draco's chest to see the thin _sectumsempra_ scar he had caused in their sixth year. He traced the line with his fingers softly. "I'm so sorry Draco."

"Don't be." Draco said seriously. "I was about to use an unforgivable curse on you, I deserved what I got and so much more."

"But I still never should have done it. I wouldn't have if I had known the truth."

Draco kissed Harry softly. "Exactly Harry, you had no idea what it could do. You wouldn't have if you'd known, I knew that even at that time. We really did hate each other then."

Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's waist and pulled him in for a heart stopping kiss. It wasn't long before they were kissing and caressing the other's completely naked form.

Draco pulled away from Harry and smirked. "I told you that you being gay wouldn't change anything." Draco looked down to Harry's impressive looking erection.

Harry smirked and rolled his hips, causing Draco to make a low moan. "Whatever are you going to do about it?"

Draco let out an exaggerated sigh. "My, the-boy-who-lived is mighty demanding isn't he?" Draco slowly curled his fingers around Harry's member, Harry moaned and his head fell backwards. When Draco started to move his hand Harry's hips started to rock slightly.

Harry groaned in protest when Draco moved his hand away. He had been so close to his release, so close to regaining the ability to string two words together.

"You can pull away now Harry, we can find another way if you want to." Draco whispered into Harry's ear. "It's all up to you."

"I don't want to stop Draco."

"OK, but just relax, I won't lie to you, it will hurt at first. But I'll go slow, OK."

"Just do it."

"See what I mean? So demanding." Draco laughed as he reached for his wand. He cast the necessary stretching, lubrication and protection charms on Harry. Harry gasped at the peculiar feeling. "Are you ready Harry?"

Harry just nodded in reply, Draco wrapped Harry's legs around his waist and slid himself in slowly. Harry called out as the burn over took his senses. Draco kissed him again, trying to take Harry's thoughts away from the pain, Harry returned the kiss hesitantly as Draco pushed himself in further. Harry gasped and arched away from the bed as Draco hit something deep inside of him.

Once he was completely submerged, Draco let his head fall into the nook of Harry's neck. It was all he could do not to slam himself in and out. After he got use to the feeling Harry hesitantly moved his hips up and they set up a slow pace, meeting each other thrust for thrust. A thin sheen of sweat covered their bodies as both of their climaxes approached. Draco reached around and stroked Harry in time with their thrusts. It didn't take long for Harry to spill himself over their stomachs. The feel of Harry clenching around him combined with the look of pure ecstasy on his face was enough to send Draco straight over the edge into euphoric bliss.

Draco pulled out of Harry slowly before collapsing next to him. They laid there in each other's arms as they tried to regain their hold on reality. When coherent though did return they knew that they had a lot to talk about, things would never be the same again and everything just got a whole lot more complicated.

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**Review?? :D**


	10. Important Authors Note

Hello my lovely's

I have some slightly bad news to reveal.

I am moving.

Which means I will finally be getting out of this bloody town!! YAY ME!!

Now this is bad news because my updates won't be anywhere near as often, as I have to rely on public computers. As I'm flying the coop and well I don't have a computer of my own.

Now, Happily Ever After? Has about 7 chapters left, which is roughly 8000 words, depending on what I write. But I am going to try and get that finished before I leave.

But Hidden Secrets on the other hand, is a lot longer than any of the others and I think it may be about half way through which is about 20,000 more words to go. I will keep writing it though I won't be able to type it.

But all is not lost, because well when I move I will have a lot more time to write, so you I will probably be getting chapters done quicker and maybe a few more one-shots (and apparently people like my one-shots)

Um I think that's it, but I have to say that this move is going to be good for me and I as I will be spending a lot of time writing, my methods will improve.

You have in no way shape or form heard the last of me. You just wont here as much from me.

I love you all

PotterFan89  
xx


	11. A Funny Sort Of Christmas

**A/N: **ok so it's been awhile since I've updated this so I thought I would put a bit of a summary of the story so far.

Harry is Head Boy (Hermione Head Girl), he has come back to Hogwarts to do his seventh year. On the way to school Draco, Pansy and Blaise notice that Harry has changed he appears to have ghosts behind his eyes. The Slytherins set out to find out exactly what's wrong. Draco discovers that Harry is suffering of an excess of expectations most of which are stemming from his girlfriend Ginny. Draco comes up with a brilliant idea, one to make Harry finally feel like he is in control of his life – the two should have sex. On top of all of this Ron is dating Seamus. What's Harry going to do during his last year at Hogwarts, the one that he thought would be slow and quiet? Read on to find out.

**A Funny Sort Of Christmas**

After coming down from their euphoric bliss Harry and Draco laid back on Harry's bed and talked_._ They spoke about everything including their hopes, dreams, and about their different but oddly similar pasts.

Draco told Harry that he didn't know what he really wanted to do when he graduated and for the rest of his life. He said that he didn't know what career he wanted but he did know it wasn't the nine-to-five one his father wanted him to have. He also admitted that he did want to marry and when he did it would be on his terms and only for love and he would also take that man's last name, just so he no longer had to be a Malfoy.

Harry told Draco that he too wanted to marry someone he loves, not someone he was expected to be with. He admitted that he would probably still love Ginny the way a boyfriend should if it wasn't for the expectations. He also said that just because he didn't want to chase the bad guys, it doesn't mean he wants a quiet life. He wants excitement and mystery a life completely different to what he knows.

_Things started to get too serious and emotional for Draco's liking so he rolled over and straddled Harry, ready for round two._ The sex was yet again different to what Harry was use to, last time it was slow and sensual, this time it was more about two people having a good time together. It was fun and passionate and caused both to have their most powerful orgasms on record.

They lay back, covered in a thin sheen of sweat, underneath Harry's sheets and they spoke again. The spoke about nothing of importance just regular boring day-to-day life just like they did every other day.

Draco ended up falling asleep on Harry's chest, leaving the latter to lay awake and muse over his current situation. He marvelled at how the two of them could still have a normal conversation with each, despite the fact that they have had sex twice now. Harry tightened his arms around Draco, and fell asleep with a small smile on his face.

Harry was woken up the next morning by a peculiar feeling on his chest. "Draco," Harry groaned squeezing his eyes shut tight. "Are you licking my chest?"

Draco paused in his act as if deep in thought. "Why, yes Harry I am."

Harry reluctantly opened his eyes, if only to glare at the offending tongue. "WHY?"

"Why what?" Draco barely paused in his act of shape making to say this.

Harry growled. "Why are you licking my chest?"

"Because it's Christmas day." Draco said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Harry closed his eyes again, he would only admit it to himself but he rather enjoyed the feeling of the soft organ moving slowly across his chest. "What time is it?"

"Around half five I think."

"HALF PAST FIVE? Oh fuck Draco, I'm going back to sleep. Wake me in two hours." Harry got the pillow Draco would have used that night and put it over his face and he willed himself to go back to sleep.

Draco sighed. "I really didn't want it to go like this, but if you're going to play like that," Draco straddled Harry's thighs and bent down to the latter's ear and whispered. "Then I will too."

Harry bit back a smile. "So, what, your master plan to get me out of bed is to have sex with me?"

"Nope." Draco bit Harry's ear lobe. "But I do happen to have the dear saviour of the wizarding world naked with a growing erection below me. What do you think I would do?"

"Sell my picture to the prophet?"

"Again no." Draco kissed Harry slowly from the dip behind his ear to the tip of his collar bone. "You see I'm a very quick study and even though I've only been with you twice I have found certain spots, certain _ticklish_ spots."

"Draco," Harry's tone became deadly serious. "Don't even think about it."

Draco gave his best evil laugh and tickled the very naked body beneath him. Harry started laughing and gasping for breath while flailing around the bed. "S-stop … Dr … Draco … sto … argh."

"Are you going to get up now?" Draco sat up and flattened his hands on Harry's chest.

"Fine," Harry panted. "But just so you know, that was a complete abuse of your power."

Draco smirked and got off the darker boy sitting on the bed beside him.

"I really do hate you Malfoy."

"Yes, yes I know this Harry. Anyway… presents."

Harry rubbed his eyes and moved toward the strangely large pile at the end of his bed. "Why are you up so early?"

Draco shrugged. "I always get up early on Christmas day I love everything about it. And, the sooner you open yours, the sooner I can go open mine."

"Um, I don't think we're going to need to go to the dungeons." Harry said from where he was sitting in front of his presents at the foot of his bed.

"Why?"

Harry passed Draco a silver package with a label that said:

_Draco_

_Have a very happy Christmas_

_Love_

_Mother xx_

Draco stared at the package in shock, then at the others. It seemed like all of Draco's presents were pilled in with Harry's. "Those bloody rotten elves are creepy! You don't think they watch do you?"

"I really hope not." Harry shuddered at the thought of Kreacher watching from the door. Deciding it best not to think about it, harry started sorting through his presents.

Mrs Weasley sent him the traditional Christmas jumper, fudge and mince pies. A photo album full of pictures of Remus and Tonks' wedding and on came from Andromeda. A book of defensive charms and their uses from Hermione. Broom polish from Ron. A dragon hide wand holster from Hagrid. And soon he was left with only two packages, one from Ginny and one from Draco.

"Which one?" Harry help up one of his presents in each hand. He tried not to think at how oddly poetic this decision was.

"The weaslette's of corse Potter, best for last and all that. Besides, I've left yours for last." Draco held up the only present that survived Draco's frantic unwrapping.

Harry carefully unfolded the paper of his rectangular package. Inside was a hand made photo frame, encasing a picture of him and Ginny that was taken the morning they left for Hogwarts back in September.

"Wow, you look miserable." Draco said as he took the frame from Harry

"Yeah I really do. But how come only you can see it? Every one else like Ron and Hermione even Ginny they don't and I spend all of my time with them."

"Pansy says it's because we're not that close to you. We see it because we don't see you all the time. She explains it better, something about a painting a strokes."

"Right…" Harry said slowly. He picked up the letter attached and began to read.

_Harry_

_Merry Christmas!_

_I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas even though I'm not there with you._

_Things are a bit insane here at the moment. Mum's running around like a headless gnome. You were right as usual, Fleur is pregnant due at the beginning of May. Mum's currently trying to find all of the baby clothes ever worn in this house._

_I've been run pretty thin myself actually, George really does need me. I've been trying to get him to open up to everyone else and I think it's starting to work._

_Is it just me or has Ron been acting strange lately? Do you know what's going on there?_

_I really do hope you have a great Christmas._

_I love you always_

_Forever yours_

_Ginny xx_

"She really thinks highly of herself doesn't she?" Draco said when he finished reading.

"Yeah" Harry mumbled before folding the letter and putting it away, planning on sending a reply at a later date.

"Ok my turn!" Draco almost bounced off the bed in excitement.

Harry merely smiled and said: "You first."

Draco didn't need to be told twice, he ripped the paper away from the package. Inside was a palm sized silver dragon. Draco's eyes widened to what Harry thought was an impossible size as the figure curled itself up in a ball and fell asleep in the blonde's hand. "Wow… it's gorgeous."

"I'm glad you like it." Harry felt relief flood over him, he had picked it out himself and was scared Draco would laugh or call him corny.

"I do." Draco nodded.

"Ok my turn." Harry picked up the small last remaining package from his bed and tortured Draco for a moment as he took his time unwrapping it. When all the paper was undone a small piece of metal and a length of leather fell out onto Harry's lap. When he looked at it he saw that a small hole had been drilled in the metal for the leather and a symbol he had never seen before was engraved on to it.

"It's a Chinese symbol, it means dreams." Draco answered the unasked question. "You tie it around your wrist and only take it off when you know in your heart that your deepest dream has been fulfilled. I thought that, no matter what happens with us or this you will still at least remember what your dreams were at one stage. And maybe that will be enough."

"Oh… thanks Draco, I… I love it. Can you tie it for me?"

Draco took the thin piece of leather and tied it around the darker wrist. "I was also thinking that you could tell people that you brought it yourself."

"Another secret?" Harry could feel the smirk on his face.

"Yeah that, and well if you say it's from me, people may ask you awkward questions."

Harry laughed slightly to himself. "Yeah I guess your right. But I do have to wonder, what people would do if I told them it was from my secret love?"

Draco actually looked scared for a moment. "I for one don't want to find out. I happen to like my manhood where it is thank you." Draco jumped out of bed quickly got dressed and held a hand out for Harry. "Come on 'Golden Boy' breakfast waits or no wizard."

Harry glared up at Draco. "I thought I told you not to call me that."

"Nope you told Blaise." Harry was surprised Draco didn't poke out his tongue; Christmas did seem to bring out the Slytherins inner child.

On their way to the Great Hall Draco quickly ran down to his dorm to drop off all of his presents. After breakfast they spent the morning have a friendly snow ball fight, it wasn't long though until the remaining students joined in and it turned into a war with Harry and Draco leading the troops. They returned to the castle for Christmas dinner after Peeves decided to start throwing things a lot harder than snow, like chairs.

"Potter!" a voice called our just before he entered the hall. When he turned he saw Professor McGonagall walking towards him. "Can I have a quick word before the feast?"

"Of course professor, I live to serve." Harry said with a coy smile.

McGonagall's lips thinned, Harry had come to enjoy that look over time. "I need a favour of you. Now I know that you and Malfoy have been spending a lot of time together, which I love by the way, but I was wondering if you could not spend the night talking in each others common rooms. I believe the remaining students are planning some kind of party, and I would really appreciate it if you could use your… expertise to put a stop to it? You probably know the school better than any of the teachers anyway."

"So you want me to check all the most likely places ten students would have a party after curfew? All the places I found on my… escapades after curfew."

"Yes." Harry could have sworn he saw the corners of the professor's lips twitch.

"Sure why not."

"Excellent." She turned on her heel and walked straight into the great hall.

Draco held onto Harry's elbow and whispered into his ear. "Before curfew, you're mine."

Harry still had a wide smile on his face when he entered the great hall. The house tables were again gone to be replaced with one large dinning room table seating a hand full of students and about as many teachers.

"You certainly seem happy young Harry." Professor Slughorn announced from across the table.

"Of course professor… it's Christmas day." Harry's smile grew but only he and Draco knew the truth behind it, and to Harry, that was exciting.

"Ah yes of course," Boomed Slughorn. "What better reason to be happy? It's very often you know, that the best presents will sneak up and take you from behind."

Harry chocked on his pumpkin juice then said. "You have no idea how right you are."

Two hours later Draco and Harry could be found in the seventh years common room enjoying their Christmas together.

"So… um… question." Harry stumbled as Draco tried to think of the best way to take down Harry's knight in wizards chess.

"What's on your mind Harry?" Draco asked absently.

"What… what are we? I mean, say someone asks me to define what we have, what would I tell them?"

"Well, I really hope no one asks you that, it would kind of defeat the purpose wouldn't it?"

Harry rolled his eyes and watched his knight be wrestled to the ground. "You know what I mean Draco."

Draco sighed and lent back in his chair. "Yeah I know what you meant. I don't know, we're just friends who happen to have sex. Personally, I don't think we should label… what ever it is."

"Why?" Harry had completely forgotten about the game.

"Well when people label their, for lack of a better word, 'relationships' they expect thins to move forwards. And I think you could probably do without anymore expectations."

Harry smiled to himself. "Yeah I guess you have a valid point there."

"I do know something for sure though." Draco lent forward.

"What's that?"

"We can't tell anyone. Not Blaise, not Pansy, Not Hermione and defiantly not the weasel. If anyone found out it would be devastating for both of us."

"Yeah and even if Ginny wasn't in the picture, things would still be just too complicated."

Draco laughed. "Yeah I don't think you and I would ever be accepted as a couple. But hey, there's no point in talking about this, we're just fun right?"

"Right."

"Cool, so are you going to take my bishop or do will I have to just beat you without trying?"

After a light dinner of roast turkey sandwiches Harry and Draco once again found themselves in wrapped up together, only it was in Draco's bed not Harry's.

"Draco, can I ask you a question?" Harry asked turning his head to see Draco.

"You already asked me a question today, so I'm guessing so."

Ignoring Draco's remark Harry pushed on. "Do you miss them? The others I mean."

"What others?" Draco shot Harry a curious look.

"The others, as in your friends, Nott and Goyle will stay in Azkaban for the rest of their lives and Crabbe…" Harry quickly cleared his throat. "Never mind forget I said anything."

Draco took a deep breath. "Yeah I do… but it's kind of complicated."

"How? I mean you either miss them or you don't." Harry rolled on to his stomach to face the blond better, eager to hear the story.

Draco bit his lip as he thought how best to explain. "You see, Vince and Greg they were, well we knew each other from days of cribs and dippers. We really did grow up together. But the thing is, they were power hungry, that's why they followed me everywhere, and they only did what protected them most. You saw them in the final battle, our 'friendship' counted for nothing. But I do miss them, of course I do they were a part of my life for seventeen years, even if I didn't particularly like them."

"And Nott?"

Draco rolled onto his back a looked at the ceiling. "Again with the difficult questions, what is it with you?"

Harry smiled. "It's a gift."

"Nott and I were kind of like you and me."

"So, you and him hated each for years them became friends then you started having sex to sort out expectations."

Draco laughed slightly. "Not exactly. Theo, he was my first. It was the beginning of fifth year, before that thing with Seamus. We were both lost, both of our parents were death eater and it hit us hard and we just wanted a way to say 'fuck you' to them all.

"We use to lie awake at night and talk about how we would tell our fathers about us. About what we would do when we were finally free from it all." A smile that Draco was wearing faded. "But then Christmas came, and so did that mark. Theo came back marked and 'reformed', he had embraced the dark lord and strongly suggested that I did the same thing, that's when I found Seamus. As you know I didn't announce that I didn't want to go to that side I put up a good disguise. I do miss him Harry, I miss what he was, I miss what we had, but now that I think of it we were always going in our own separate ways." Draco rolled over to look at Harry. "Anyway what's the time?"

"Almost nine I think." Harry said softly, he had never seen Draco as the type of person to have feelings as deep as the ones that he once held for Ginny.

Draco suddenly smirked. "Whatever can we do in the hour and a half before curfew?"

Harry rubbed his chin. "I really don't know Draco."

Draco reached out a hand and started tracing each of Harry's scars across his chest.

Harry's breath hitched. "What are you doing?"

"Marvelling."

"In?"

"You." Draco kissed the hollow of Harry's collar bone.

"Why."

"You're impossible."

"Impossible? I don't think I've been called that before." Harry closed his eyes and concentrated only on Draco's fingers.

"You really are amazing." Draco whispered so quietly that Harry thought it his imagination.

--

Two hours later Harry was walking down the seventh floor corridor. He had found the remaining students behind a tapestry on the second floor and was now headed back to the Gryffindor tower wearing a wide smile. He was amazed that everything was looking up, he finally had something he could call his own, he was happy for the first time in months. And he had three weeks to spend with Draco and only Draco…

--

Harry groaned and woke up the next morning with the sun blearing in his eyes. He pulled the blankets over his face and tried in vain for more sleep. Eventually he gave up his efforts and started ready for another winter's day, with his secret lover.

He walked down to the dungeons and met Draco outside the Slytherin common room.

Together they walked into the entrance hall laughing, before they could cross the threshold into the great hall though, Harry froze.

"Harry what are you doing?" Draco stopped just past the doors.

"Ginny." Harry whispered.

"No Potter. Draco, I do hope you haven't confused us."

"No you idiot, Ginny is here." Harry pointed across the hall at the Gryffindor table where Ginny was sitting with Luna. Ginny looked up and saw them pointing so jumped up and ran straight over.

"Harry!" Ginny threw her arms around Harry's neck, Harry hugged back only mildly enthusiastically.

"Ginny? What are you doing here?"

She pulled back but kept her arms around his neck. "Well Luna's dad wants Luna and I to get a head start on the anniversary edition."

Harry was confused. "What anniversary?"

"The anniversary of the end of the war."

"But that's over four months away." Harry said with wide eyes.

Ginny nodded. "Like I said, he wants us to get a head start. So Luna and I will spend the rest of the holidays interviewing Hogsmeade residents and planning the whole edition. Luna will be going home at night so she can see Dean, but I thought I could stay behind. I mean I'll be busy during the day, but at night I'm all yours."

"What about George?" Harry's eyebrows creased.

Harry grabbed her wrists and puller arms away from his neck. "Ginny you even said in your letter that he needs you at the moment. You need to be there for your brother."

"But what about you Harry?"

"What about me? I don't matter Ginny not with George the way he is, he needs you more than ever."

"But I don't want you to be alone." Ginny said quietly.

"Believe it or not queen of all dramas, he's not alone." Draco stood beside Harry.

Ginny merely glared at him, then turned to Harry who had dropped her hands. "Are you sure you don't want me here."

"Go home Ginny." Harry's voice cracked slightly.

She nodded, hugged him once more then her and Luna linked arms and left through the entrance hall doors.

Once she was gone Harry's breathing became irregular and tears started to form behind his glasses. Without warning he stormed out of the entrance hall up the stairs and through the corridors.

"Potter, where are you going?" Harry didn't answer to Draco's summons, he just kept storming off to no where around the castle. "Harry please, stop."

"Harry." Draco put his hands on the darker boys shoulder and spun him forcibly around and into a wall. "Will you please just calm down and tell me what's wrong?"

Draco was expecting Harry to storm off again, but that's not what happened. "She's a selfish bitch that's what's wrong. Her brother, George, he tried to kill himself a few weeks after the battle. He couldn't bare living without Fred. Ginny found him and since then he will only talk to her, for the like of me I can't think of why. But she was going to leave him at the Burrow alone in a room h shared with his twin, who's dead. And I bloody well know it wasn't to keep me company, she just doesn't the fucking responsibility." Tears were falling out of Harry's eyes. "She only ever thinks of herself."

Draco pulled Harry in for a tight embrace. Anyone else would ask why Harry was still with someone he resented so much, but Draco knew better. Even knowing this, he couldn't shake off the bad feeling that was sneaking up on him.

**A/N** so there it is finally another chapter. I wonder if anyone is still reading this. I do hope so and please review. I should have another one up in a few days.


	12. Caught

**A/N** This is the last chapter of the orignial story. By that i mean i have completely changed where this story is headed from the next chapter on, and you know what? I like it better and i hope you enjoy too.

**Disclaimer** I do not own Harry Potter

**Caught**

Draco Malfoy was sitting in a far corner of the seventh year's common room. Just like everyone else in the room, he was studying, unlike everyone else, he was distracted by a sharp pain from his behind every time he shifted. This sharp pain was the result of bottoming for the first time, and despite the pain, he would do it again (as long as Harry was on top that is).

Draco was awoken from his thoughts about Harry and his impossibly hard ancient runes translation, by someone sitting on the chair next to him.

"Hermione! Just the right woman to help me! The Ancient Runes assignment, I can't translate question… what's wrong?" he started getting very self conscious from the look she was giving him, and he suddenly had a strange desire to confess everything he had ever done wrong… and that could take awhile. "Is there a particular reason why you look like you'd like to decapitate me? Or are you road testing a new facial expression?"

"Your head isn't what I want to cut off Draco, think lower." Despite her words Hermione spoke in a pleasant if not pompous voice. "Could we step outside, I have something I _really_ want to discuss with you."

"Of course, it's always a pleasure to be in the presence of our dashing head girl." Draco's words dripped with sarcasm.

"Save it." She stood and walked to the portrait door. "Are you coming?"

Draco packed up his homework into his bag. "It's a prefect's duty to follow their heads everywhere."

The two walked down the corridors together, with Draco shooting suspicious glances out of the corner of his eye at Hermione.

"So are you going to tell me why you look like you bet against Bulgaria in the last world cup?"

"Not here you idiot." Hermione snapped over her shoulder.

"I must have done something to _really_ piss you off, if only there was a way to know what I did." Draco mumbled to himself.

Hermione gave him a deadly stare that could have stopped a pack of angry wolves, Draco bit his tongue on any further comments and then walked on in silence.

Five minutes later, Draco found himself standing outside of the room of requirement watching Hermione pace forward and back. His stomach felt warm as he thought of the last time he was here, less than twenty-four hours ago with Harry. The fuzzy feeling abruptly disappeared and was replaced with a sense of nervousness. The thought of Harry seemed to click everything together, Hermione's attitude and her seemingly 'random' venue for their 'chat'. Once again, Draco found himself thanking his father for his cold emotionless mask.

Once the door appeared, Hermione let Draco walk in before her, she shut the door with a highly audible 'snap' then rounded on the Slytherin.

Draco swallowed and took half a step back. "So Hermione, what is it that you wanted to discuss?"

"I think you know what I want to discuss Draco." Hermione matched Draco's step back with one forward.

Draco took yet another half step back (he spared a thought to the fact that this probably looked like some kind of demented tango). "I don't think so."

"Take a wild stab in the dark." Hermione said through gritted teeth.

"Honestly Granger, I have NO idea what's got you in this mood. So I'm going to sit down here and you can prattle on about how I've wronged you." Draco sat on a seat that appeared behind him, and studied his nails.

"Damn it Malfoy I bloody saw you!" Hermione finally let loose on the rage she was holding back.

Draco put his head in his hands and rubbed his face roughly. "Hermione, don't, just don't. I'm asking you as a friend, please, don't. You really don't understand what's going on here."

Hermione scoffed at this. "I think I understand enough to know that I saw the two of you kissing outside this very room last night."

Draco looked up at Hermione. "What do you honestly want me to say?"

The head girl sat stiffly across from him. "I want the truth. Are you sleeping with Harry?"

"You're insane."

"Am I, really? All I know is that ever since we got back from Christmas holidays he's been different, something's changed, he's not the Harry I grew up with, and who was with him over Christmas? Everyone else is too blind to actually see anything, but I'm not Draco! So tell me, and tell me now, are you sleeping with Harry?"

"Ok first of all, you _are_ blind if you're only picking up on the changes now. And second, like I said before, you really don't understand and I'm not about to betray him by telling you anything that may or may not be happening. Maybe you should talk to Harry about it, but good luck getting any of the answers you want from him."

"What do you mean by that? He's is my best friend."

"Maybe that's the problem Hermione" Draco's voice was barely above a whisper.

Hermione bent her head and closed her eyes. "What's going on Draco, please, talk to me?"

Draco merely shook his head. "Talk to Harry, but, let me be there."

"Why?"

"Just do this, please. I can't guarantee that you'll get the answers you want, but this is the best chance you've got."

Hermione huffed. "Ok fine then, at least I might be able to get some bloody straight answers, instead of this cryptic bollocks."

"Merlin you've got yourself a filthy mouth."

Hermione just ignored him. "So when will the three of us sit down together?"

"Well we had planned to meet up here tomorrow night, I suppose you could tag along."

"Ok until tomorrow night then."

They both stood at the same time but before Hermione could turn Draco had one last question. "Are you going to tell Harry?"

"Why? So the two of you can get together and create a fantastic cover story? I think I've been lied to enough lately, don't you? Will you tell him?"

"First chance I get." Draco answered honestly.

Hermione nodded curtly, and then left the room with a swish of her cloak. At that moment, Draco knew that Harry would not know about the meeting with Hermione the next night.

*

Draco's theory about Harry going in blind to the meeting was proven painfully correct the next day. Hermione didn't let Harry have a moment alone, even when he went to the bathroom she sent Ron with him. As it was Friday, Hermione simply covered her behavior up by using the excuse that all their classes were the same. By the time dinner rolled around everyone could see that Harry wanted to punch something, only Draco knew that the raven haired boy just wanted five minutes alone.

Draco thought he had found her perfect opportunity, Harry was walking back to the tower… alone apparently Hermione was distracted by a certain dark skinned Slytherin. Just as Draco was about to call out to the head boy, someone beat him to it. Ginny Weasley dragged Harry away for a walk around the castle, before he had to 'supervise the first year's detentions' in half an hour.

So here Draco was, with one hand on the door to the room of requirement, he was procrastinating his entrance. He was not looking forward to the night ahead, he had no idea how Harry would react to being discovered. Worse still, how would Hermione react when the truth was finally revealed to her? Draco summoned all, if any, of the courage a Slytherin posses and opened the door.

"Draco," Said a relieved male voice, Draco was glad to see that Hermione was yet to arrive. "You wouldn't believe the day I'm having."

"Harry." Draco couldn't help but smile at the other man. Harry started making his way forward, but Draco, despite the urge to run forward, stopped him. "Wait, there's something you need to know."

"What is it?" Harry suddenly looked worried. "You know you can tell me anything right?"

The blonde laughed slightly. "Yeah I do know that. But it's not about me, well it is, more about 'us' actually."

"Draco, you're scaring me, what's going on?"

Draco took a deep breath. "We were caught."

Harry's eyes went wide with fear. "What? When? How? Who?"

"It was the other night."

"Who? Who caught us Draco?"

"That would be me."

"Hermione?" Harry stuttered. The girl in question had just walked over the threshold, closing the door behind her. Harry staggered back into a double sofa beside a large fire.

Draco sat down carefully next to him putting an arm around his shoulders. "Are you ok?"

The boy in question both nodded and shook his head at the same time, confusing Draco immensely. Harry looked up at Hermione. "So what exactly did you see?"

She sat down in a chair across from the two, crossing her arms and legs across her body. "I saw the two of you kissing outside in the hallway."

"Oh." Harry didn't know whether to be relieved by knowing that was all she saw, or horrified that they had messed up enough for her to see even that.

The head girl turned to Draco. "So does this mean that I am going to be getting some straight answers now?"

Draco moved his arm away from Harry's shoulders. "Like I said last night, you can know as much as Harry wants you to know."

She looked back at Harry. "Are you sleeping together?"

Harry looked from Draco to Hermione and back again. "Yes."

"HARRY!" She squealed. "What about Ginny? You can't go shagging some bloke behind Ginny's back."

Draco scoffed at this and threw Hermione a dirty look. "Again, like I said, you don't understand."

"Then explain it." She pleaded.

"How much do you want her to know?" Draco asked Harry.

"Tell her everything."

"Are you sure?"

"Well for one, I know Hermione and there's no way she's leaving here without her answers. And two, she's my best friend, she deserves to know. And then after we tell her, we'll see where we go."

So Draco did exactly as Harry said, he told her all. From the first day on the train, to the night Draco found Harry crying in the Great Hall, all the way up to when Hermione found them two nights previous. He worked around the graphic details, and the part about Ron and Seamus (he figured that it wasn't his secret to tell).

By the end of Draco's tale, Hermione's eyes were swelling with tears. "Oh god Harry, was I one of the people putting this pressure on you?"

Harry refused to say a word, and suddenly found his shoe laces particularly interesting, but this was all the answers Hermione needed. "Oh no, Harry, I'm SO sorry! I didn't realize what I was doing. Oh Harry, forgive me, please?"

"Hermione if there was one person I could always forgive it's you." Harry gave her a small but true smile, one that he only gave the people he cared for most.

Draco felt a bubble of jealousy work its way up his chest from his stomach as he sat back and watched this exchange. Harry and Hermione have always had a noticeable connection, a sort of natural chemistry but he had never seen it up close at such a deep level. It was then that Draco saw how people could confuse what they had for a romantic attraction, but he could also see that their relationship would never be anymore than one of family.

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath, when he opened them again he asked his most pressing question. "You now know my biggest secret Hermione, now I need you to tell me something. Are you going to tell Ginny?"

Hermione sat back in her chair, she looked at the two boys, taking in each subtle detail and movement even the ones they weren't aware of. As she did this, she let all she heard and all she felt sink in and tried to make sense of it. "I know I should, because no matter how noble the theory, the action is still an extreme betrayal. But in saying that," Hermione added when she saw Harry's saddened but accepting face. "I know that I won't. Ginny has changed dramatically, and I've known that for quite awhile now. But, Harry, you need to tell her before someone else does, or she finds out the same way I did."

Harry felt his chest tighten it felt like a metal vice was caught around his ribs and his breathing became irregular. "I can't Hermione… I just… I… I'm expected…" Harry shot a pleading look towards Draco."

"Hermione, you need to listen to me, and understand this, Harry's not ready. He is in complete control of what we have here, but that's the only part of his life that he is. What do you think will happen if he breaks it off with Ginny now? Things would spiral out of control and he'll probably even end up back with her, worse than how he is now. He needs to do this in his own time, in his own way. We would both understand if you felt you had to tell, but right now, we can't."

During Draco's monologue, Harry's breathing started to calm down and the vice around his chest loosened considerably.

"I won't tell, I told you I wouldn't, I promise you I won't. And when this comes out, I'll be on your side _both_ of your sides."

"Thank you Hermione." Draco's voice held a small croak.

"Can I ask you something? It may sound odd but I need to know."

Harry had a small smile on. "I don't think we have secrets anymore Hermione."

"Are you… do you love each other?"

"WHAT?!" The two boys exclaimed together.

"No." Harry laughed. "It's really not like that. To use Draco's phrasing, we don't use 'labels' and 'we're friends who just happen to have sex'."

Hermione chose not to mention the fact that they were holding hands, and had been for some time now, she actually wondered if they knew about it. "I should have seen this so much earlier Harry." Tears were forming in her eyes. "If I had of known, maybe I could have helped you, at least make it easier."

Harry got up and kneeled at Hermione's feet. "This isn't your fault Hermione, you had no idea the effects the words 'expect' and 'expectations' have on me, if you did, I know you wouldn't have done it." Harry took a piece of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. "I don't know if what Draco and I are doing is going to sort out the mess I'm calling a life, but I have to try, having something that's mine, and only mine, makes me really happy."

"Hermione?" Draco muttered softly, he almost felt guilty for destroying the perfect moment. "Ginny isn't the only one who can't know, no one can. Please, tell no one?"

"I won't, I promise." Hermione looked up at Draco, while holding Harry's hands.

"Not even Blaise?" Draco insisted.

"Harry is my best friend and a long time ago I knew that I would protect him until my death."

Harry stood at the same time as Hermione, sharing a family kiss. "I should probably leave, someone needs to tell Ginny that the detentions are running long."

"Thank you Hermione." Draco said as they shared an awkward hug. Just before she could leave, he added; "Oh and, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've _ever_ done to wrong you, I was _very_ wrong."

She merely smiled and said; "Like a very wise man once said; 'second chances'." she then left the room, closing the door with a gentle 'click'.

Draco pulled Harry back down onto the chair they were sharing. "So, how are you feeling? After what's happened, your head must be spinning."

Harry lent his head back and thought for a moment. "Would it be weird if I said happy?"

This response threw Draco off slightly. "You're actually happy that Hermione knows?"

"No, well, I don't think that's why I'm happy."

"Then why?"

Harry half turned his body to look into Draco's eyes, his breath caught at the sight before him. "I have no idea."

Draco lent forward slightly and kissed Harry gently. "I think I know what you mean."

They were silent for awhile, just lying back in each others arms, enjoying the comfortable silence.

"Harry, how _do_ you feel about Hermione knowing?" Draco wasn't going to let the subject drop he needed to know.

"I don't know, to tell you the truth, I really don't. But, I think I now understand how Ron felt about you and me finding out about him and Seamus. Except our situation is slightly different."

"How's that?"

"Well I would have loved to be able to keep this a secret for at least a little while longer. But now that Hermione does know, it's like, I don't feel like I'm sneaking around nearly as much as I did. Things between us seem… different." Harry quickly rose and headed for the door. He was becoming dangerously close to spilling the thoughts he had been working hard to suppress. "It's getting late I should go."

"Harry." Draco hurried to reach the brunette and then laced his fingers with the other boy. "Stop running away, please."

"Why?"

"Because, if you keep running away from your life, you might miss something truly amazing." Draco lowered his voice to a whisper and stroked Harry's cheek. "Besides, I know _exactly_ what you mean."

Harry searched Draco's eyes for any kind of sign. "How can you be so sure of that when I'm not even positive?"

Draco merely shrugged. "Just do."

*

Harry slowly made his way back to the tower. Once he reached the portrait hole, he took a deep breath before creeping though. He was careful to not make the slightest noise that could wake a pack of sleeping lions.

"Harry?" A voice croaked from the corner.

"Ginny," Harry's entire being froze. "Why are you still awake? It's late it has to be at least two."

"I couldn't sleep, so I came down here to wait for you. What kept you so long?"

"Just got distracted by the mush between my ears." Harry lied quickly, he walked over to her and sat on the arm rest of her chair. "But I'm back now, so you can go to bed."

"No, I'm ok." Ginny took Harry's hand and entwined their fingers. "Are you ok? You seem slightly distant."

He stood quickly letting Ginny's hand drop and stretched. "Yeah Gin, I'm just really tired."

"Well," Ginny rose off her chair slowly and would her arms around Harry's neck. "I know of a way that is really effective in waking the body."

'_No!'_ Harry screamed in his head.

She kissed him slowly. "What do you think?"

"_No, no, no, no, no, no." _A mantra had started inside his head. "My room then?"

Ginny smiled and led Harry towards his dorm room, careful to swing her hips while she climbed the stairs.

Harry wasn't paying any attention to the slender hips swaying in front of him, he was too busy locked in an internal battle. Part of him knew that this was where he was supposed to be, but another (the side that had started speaking up a lot more lately) felt that he was cheating on Draco. Every time he caressed Ginny he felt like he was betraying his blonde savior, the worst part was Draco had told him that it was ok to sleep with Ginny. As they reached his dorm and started making their way to his bed, Harry resigned himself to what was ahead, he would just try and not think of Draco… that feat proved impossible.

As Ginny undressed him, he thought 'Draco'. As he slid off her pink night gown, he though 'Draco'. As he kissed the skin behind her ear, he thought 'Draco'. And Harry thought of Draco as he slid himself into Ginny's tight pick center. The feeling of being inside Ginny was so much different to Draco, almost wrong. Draco was unbelievably, deliciously tight, but the muscles inside Ginny seemed to move around to allow for his size. The final climax could only be compared to an ant mound resting beside a mighty mountain, when compared to his rendezvous with Draco.

Ginny got dressed and kissed Harry good night before leaving for her own dorm room. Harry rolled on his side and tears began to swell as he continued to think of Draco. This is what he had been feeling guilty about since everyone returned to school, being with Ginny was tearing him apart. Every day that went by, his feelings for Draco became more pronounced, and as they grew his love for Ginny turned slowly sour.

Meanwhile deep inside the dungeons, Draco Malfoy was lying wide awake in his own dorm room. The only difference between he and Harry was that tears weren't swelling in Draco's eyes, they were slowly rolling. He had spent the last hour trying to make the tears stay behind his lids, but the thought of Harry being with someone else made controlling them impossible. Every day his feeling for Harry got stronger and he didn't know if that thought excited or scared him. The only feeling he could really comprehend at this moment was his hate for Ginny, hate for being in his rightful place.


	13. The Imperfect Valentines Day

**Disclaimer** I do not own Harry Potter

**AN **As I said the story has changed from here on in. All of the main parts have stayed the way I have planned but the way this chapter is written just seems to fit better. The plot hasn't changed at all so it won't be confusing… I hope.

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**The Imperfect Valentines Day**

Valentines Day was just around the corner and everyone inside the castle was alive with excitement that is everyone except Draco and Harry. The two boys were not exactly thrilled with the news of the upcoming holiday which would include a trip to Hogsmead, purely because they could not spend it with the one person they truly wanted to. This also meant that Harry would have to spend the day with the one person he didn't want. Even though neither could live their daily lives without each other, they couldn't admit it to themselves. One person though, wanted answers and she wasn't going to sit back and wait patiently.

Hermione spent the two weeks after she found out about the boy's 'affair' trying to talk to Harry about the situation he had got himself in. Harry though, was not making her job easy in the slightest, every time she got him alone long enough to ask about Draco, Harry would remember a convenient appointment that he just couldn't miss. The last time she actively tried, it took her a full day of stalking the saviour until he was finally completely alone.

Harry was walking down the forth floor corridor fifteen minutes before curfew when his path was suddenly blocked by the figure of Hermione. "So you finally come out? I've seen you following me all day? Are you trying to stalk me? If so, you should probably get some pointers from those third year girls, they at least have some stealth." Harry leant against a pillar and raised his eye brows to the head girl.

Hermione at least had the decency to look ashamed and started twisting her hands. "No, but I've been trying to talk to you for two weeks and you keep avoiding the topic, so I thought I'd…"

"Ambush me?" Harry finished with a grin.

Hermione bit her lip. "Kind of, I didn't think too far ahead. But now that we're finally alone, can we please have the conversation that I've been trying to have for two weeks?"

"That depends on the topic of this conversation, personally I've been eager to talk about Kingsley's views on dementors at Azkaban, personally I agree they should be gone." Harry's gin was gone but his mood was still light.

"Draco." Hermione corrected quietly.

That was the end of Harry's light mood, in its place came pain and sorrow. "I can't Hermione, not yet, I'm not ready." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "When I'm ready to talk, you'll know." He moved his hand and walked off into the darkness of the castle, leaving Hermione with her suspicions confirmed.

--

Three days later Hermione was sitting by herself, studying in the seventh year's common room. She hadn't tried to bring up Draco to Harry since, but her opinion had not changed, she just needed a new tact. She just had to wait and find the perfect opportunity. In fact, the perfect opportunity just happened to choose then to sit down.

"Hermione, can I talk to you about something… it's kind of important." Draco was biting his lip and his eyes were darting around as if scared someone was watching.

"Yeah, sure of course, what's wrong?" Hermione was concerned, she may have been friends with the prefect for several months but the blonde had never come to Hermione for help before.

"Not here, it's… let's say private. Can we go outside somewhere?"

Hermione grabbed her cloak, books and bag and followed Draco out of the common room through the halls and out into the grounds. They walked to a tree which was still covered in a thin layer of snow. Not many students were out due to the early February weather. Hermione cast a drying charm on the ground and the two sat.

"What is it you wanted to talk about Draco?" Hermione asked, breaking the moment's silence.

"Harry." He whispered.

"I knew it! I just knew that there was something not quite right with him. I've been trying to talk to him for _weeks _but I haven't been able to get anything out of him. What's wrong?"

Draco was smiling at this point. "Hermione calm down a minute, there's nothing wrong with Harry, well I don't think there is anyway. There's something wrong with me."

"What is it?" Hermione gave Draco a curious look.

He turned his face to the horizon over the forbidden forest, leaving Hermione to finally see the pain that was imprinted across the blondes face. "I got in too deep with him, and now I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get myself out."

Hermione was taken aback by this sudden piece of information. "So, what, you're regretting staring this 'fling' with Harry?"

"Actually it's quite the opposite I don't want to ever stop. Hermione, I… I think… I think I love him."

Hermione sighed then smiled, she had known this all along, and she was also convinced that Harry felt the same. "Have you told him this yet?"

"No, I could never tell him the truth."

"Why?"

"Because Harry and I are just friends, it's as simple as that. If I went to him and told him how I really feel he would freak out completely."

"No he wouldn't."

"Yes Hermione he would. He would for two reasons. One, he'd think that I was taking advantage of him because of how much I love him, that I was only helping him because I would do anything to be with him, which isn't true. And two, just imagine this, on one side he has his girlfriend who is planning out a life he doesn't want and she's got the entire wizarding world including the ministry to support her.

"Then he has me declaring that I love him and have for longer than even I realised. That I want to be with him outside closed, locked and silenced doors. I want to be able to walk into the great hall holding his hand. I don't want to have to be careful about leaving questionable marks on him when we're alone together." Draco shook his head and tried to focus. "The point is I'm also the son of a death eater. That doesn't bode well with public opinion. He would freak out about having to make a choice, he would completely break down… again. Hermione, the only reason I'm even telling you this is because I can't deny it any more, you're the only one I can safely tell."

Hermione wanted to scream, she wanted to hug Draco, she wanted to slap Ginny and she wanted to tell Harry that it was ok to admit his feelings. She knew what Draco was saying was the truth. She knew that Harry felt the same but she didn't know just how long it would take Harry to realise this. "Draco, I love Harry, I really do, but you need to think about you for once. Are you sure being with Harry how you are now is the right move? I know you love him but you could end up just becoming hurt and alone. I don't want to see Harry with Ginny anymore than you do, but maybe we can help him another way."

He just shook his head vigorously. "No, I have to help him this way. I promised him months ago that he would control when and if this ended. I will do this until he and Ginny are no longer, then I'll let him go, I'm not about to let him down now. Promise me you won't tell him."

Hermione sighed. "I promise."

"Thank you." Draco hugged Hermione tightly and left, leaving the head girl to ponder her newly acquired information. She had to think of a way for the two to get together properly. Something told her that it wasn't going to be a quick fix.

--

With Valentines Day happening in just three days time, spirits were high in the Hogwarts castle. This was not the case however for one very fiery read head however. Everyone had noticed a change in Ginny, she was angrier than usual often seen yelling at passing first years for little or no reason. No one could fathom why though, she was on top of all of her classes and if the rumors were true her and Harry were going strong with hints at a summer wedding. Only Harry and Ginny knew the truth behind the sudden change. This was why Harry finally went to Hermione.

"Ginny and I don't have sex anymore." Harry said simply.

"What?" exclaimed a shocked Hermione. Harry had come to her that morning and suggested that a walk around the castle could be a good way to clear their heads before studying. So after breakfast they set off, but barely five minutes in Harry dropped his bomb shell. "Um… how long has it been?" Hermione cleared her throat, yet her voice still squeaked slightly when she spoke.

Harry went slightly red. "The last time was the night you found out about me and Draco."

"Oh." Hermione walked over to a nearby bench and sat, she didn't think her legs could handle much more shock.

Harry sat down next to her. "I think that might be why Ginny is acting so strange… well strange to everyone else, this is the woman I know and 'love'."

Hermione ran everything over in her head, it all made sense no matter how she looked at it. "Well, why do you think you don't have sex anymore?"

"I honestly have no idea. We were fine, well our sex life was, well aside from me sleeping with Draco that is. But I do know this much though, last time was different."

"How do you mean?"

"Well I didn't enjoy it as much as I use to, it wasn't… powerful. And she hasn't come back for more, so obviously she didn't either."

Hermione took a deep breath and turned to face Harry. "You have been evading what I'm about to say for awhile now, but you can't anymore. This could all have something to do with your feelings for Draco. Tell me how you feel about him."

"Hermione, you are my best friend, you should already know."

"I do, honestly I do. But, you need to start admitting it to yourself."

"I can't, I just… I just can't." Tears were forming in Harry's eyes.

"Why?" Pushed Hermione.

"Because I'm not ready to admit that I've got myself in so far and so… deep."

"Have you thought about what's going to happen when you and Ginny finally break up? What's going to happen to you and Draco?"

"I think about it everyday, when I wake up, when I go to bed even when I'm brushing my bloody teeth. I think that what's making ending it with Ginny so much harder, knowing that what Draco and I have will be over."

"I think you're almost there, but you need to completely admit your feelings Harry." Hermione kissed him once on the cheek and walked away, leaving Harry with nothing but questions.

--

Saturday morning found the entrance hall filled with young couples eagerly awaiting permission to spend time together on the most romantic day of the year. It seemed only one person wasn't wearing a smile in fact Ron Weasley appeared to be wearing what could only be the exact opposite.

"Oh cheer up Ron," Hermione snapped.

"Why? I didn't want to come in the first place. The only reason I'm here is because you practically dragged me down. Look around Hermione everyone here is with a date."

"I'm not, neither is Blaise, Pansy or Neville."

Ron gave Hermione a look that plainly said that he didn't believe for a second that she was going alone and not with Blaise. "I would have preferred to stay behind with Malfoy." He said as they started making their way down to the little village.

"No you wouldn't, he's studying and I know you would do almost anything to stay away from that."

"Better than love hearts and lollipops." Ron muttered to himself. Ron was silent for the rest of the walk, often kicking stones on the ground in anger.

The group of seventh years (plus Ginny) made their way from Honeydukes to Zonko's and then stopped for lunch at the three broomsticks, by this time Ron's mood had turned so sour no one was even trying to cheer him up.

Ginny turned slightly to whisper in Harry's ear. "What's Seamus up to?"

"Huh?" Harry had a fork full of pie half way to his mouth as he looked up. Sure enough Seamus Finnigan was walking straight towards the group with his finger on his mouth indicating that everyone should keep quiet about his appearance.

"Who is he trying to scare it's not like we all don't know he's here."

Harry merely shrugged but shared a secret smile with Dean Thomas who was trying his hardest from bursting out laughing, because the only one not to notice the new arrival was Ron who was currently stabbing a sausage repeatedly

Seamus placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. "So do I get a dance today?"

Ron's face broke into a huge smile. "Seamus!" He jumped up and hugged the Irishman. "What are you doing here?" Suddenly realising the implications of hugging the man in a crowded bar.

"You really think I'd let you spend Valentines Day alone? Or that I'd want to spend it by myself with no one but me mam to keep me company?" Seamus hugged his boyfriend again. "So, how about that dance?"

Ron went scarlet. "I… I don't dance."

Seamus smiled and said. "I don't care." He dragged Ron onto a small space cleared away, Ron moved awkwardly but obviously happy, leaving behind a see of shocked faces.

"How long has _that_ been going on?" Hermione asked after watching the boys in stunned silence for a few moments.

"A few months." Harry smiled as he watched his friend be dragged along by a laughing Irishman.

"You _knew_!" Ginny almost shrieked. "Yet you neglected to inform me?"

Harry just kept on smiling. "What can I say he swore me to secrecy."

Blaise leaned forward, eyes wide, he was highly intrigued. "Who else knows?"

"Well everyone now," Harry turned his full attention back to the table. "But before only me, Draco and the grinning buffoon over there." Harry pointed out Dean.

Pansy was wearing the same expression as Blaise. "But how did you all find out?"

"For me it was just a matter of putting two and two together. Seamus was acting odd during the holidays, he had told me that he and Ron had spent the night together but that was it. Then when I get back to school, Ron is getting all these weird letters at odd times and then I realised that obviously he was seeing someone. I had my suspicions so I just asked Ron some vague questions and he confirmed it for me." Dean was obviously glad he could finally talk about it all.

"Draco and I found them kissing on our first Hogsmead trip this year." Harry answered.

They were all silent for a moment before Neville decided to put in his own opinion. "Personally I think it's great."

"No it's not!" Ginny wore a look of complete horror. "My brother is GAY!"

"So?" Harry was completely taken aback. "It's still Ron."

Ginny looked around the table, everyone was wearing horror struck expressions that were all directed at her. All except Hermione, she was still studying the couple on the dance floor with and expressionless face. "What do you think about all of this Hermione?"

The girl in question smiled and looked at Blaise. "Ron's happy and so am I." Blaise smiled and took her hand.

"Nobody else understands." Ginny looked around the hall. No one seemed to care about the two boys dancing together, in fact some people joined in. "it's disgusting."

"Wait… what?" Harry spat at her. "How can you even say that? He's your own brother, your not suppose to care who he's with as long as he's happy. You should be happy for him."

"And I would be, if Seamus were a woman."

"Dance?" Hermione asked Blaise suddenly with wide eyes. The two were up in less than a heart beat and the rest of the table was up only a split second after them.

"You didn't seem to care when Seamus came out to us two years ago."

"Yeah, that's because I didn't."

Harry looked like he had been slapped. "So let me get this straight. You don't care if someone is gay, as long as they aren't related to you?" Before Ginny could answer Harry looked around the bar and noticed that they were being watched by everyone. "Let's take this outside."

"What's going on there?" Ron asked Dean as he watched his best friend and his sister have a heated argument then storm out of the pub.

"Ginny isn't what I would call please with seeing the two of you." Dean said as softly as he could.

Ron bit his lip. "I may have failed divination but I see a howler from my mother in the near future."

Meanwhile outside Harry led the way into a private alley way, letting Ginny catch up to him. When he was sure they were alone, he snapped. "You know sometimes I really fucking _hate _you."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"You bloody well heard me, you and your double standards."

Ginny just rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not about to have this conversation now Harry. It's Valentines Day and I just found out that my brother is a flaming fag, so I'm not exactly in the mood."

"Well Gin how about you tell me when you want to discuss this and you can plan every fucking detail of it!"

What the hell do you mean by that?"

"When you sat down and planned out 'our' life, did you ever once stop to think about what it is that I wanted? Or did you just assume that I'd go along with whatever it was you've planned?"

The red head pinched the bridge of her nose. "Where is this even coming from? I mean I'm pretty sure we were just discussing Ron not me."

"Yeah, but it all comes down to the same thing doesn't it? You don't have the ability to accept that people can think for themselves. Maybe I don't want the life you've planned out for me."

Ginny scoffed. "Oh please, if I didn't plan it out you would end up doing something completely useless like play Quidditch, live in some other country and end up broke knowing no one."

"OK one you love Quidditch and two what's wrong with wanting to travel?"

"Well Quidditch is hardly a suitable career option for the saviour of the wizarding world. And I would have thought you'd have enough of travel last year?"

"I was looking for a way to kill Voldemort!"

Ginny flinched slightly at the name. "For almost a year? Please you would have had plenty of time to sight see."

"Oh go crawl in a hole Ginny!"

"You first Harry!" She took a deep breath. "Look just take my hand and let's go inside, we can discuss this later."

"No, I'm not going to go in there and pretend that nothing happened out here."

"People are expecting us to be there Harry."

And that's when it happened, right in that moment is when Harry stopped caring about expectations. "I'm not going to be your puppet anymore Ginny. I think you should find yourself another lap dog."

The youngest Weasley couldn't move. "What are you trying to say?"

"I think it's pretty obvious, I can't do this anymore. You and I aren't working and we haven't been for months now, I'm out."

"Harry," Ginny's eyes filled with fear. "Please don't leave me, you can't do this."

"I can't not Ginny."

Tears swelled in her eyes but they didn't last long, anger took its place. "Fine. But you'll come back and I don't know if I'll be there when you do." Ginny left the alley way looking back only when she reached the end.

Harry put his hands in his pockets and let a smile form on his face, he was free. He was so excited, he could have the life that he wanted not the one others wanted him to have. He picked up his pace as he passed through the school gates, he was going to find Draco and tell him, he would be so proud.

"Draco." Harry whispered, suddenly he didn't feel too pleased with himself. All of the implications of what he just did just fell down on him in one clean swoop. Now that he wasn't with Ginny anymore, there was no reason for Draco to stay with him. Harry sat beneath an old tree by the lake and began to cry. By cutting loose the tightening binds around him, he also cut off the one thing that made him happy, suddenly breaking up with Ginny didn't seem like such a good idea. He let tears carry him into the night. Draco found him sitting in the same spot four hours later.

"I broke up with her." Harry whispered hugging his knees to his chest.

"I gathered, I saw Ginny a few hours ago, she seemed rather miffed about something, then I heard her muttering your name. I'm really very happy for you." It may have been the look on his face or the fact that his body language spoke of another story, whatever it was Harry didn't believe Draco for a second.

"So how did you spend the apparent most romantic day of the year?"

"Found a bottle of firewhiskey and went and sat in the astronomy tower." They sat in silence for awhile. Draco suddenly stood and took Harry's hand. "Dance with me?"

"Harry smiled slightly. "There's no music."

"So?" Draco's voice had a pleading undertone.

Normally Harry would have protested, but he wasn't going to refuse one last chance to be with his very own saviour, the man of his dreams. So they danced as one to a rhythm their very own. They didn't care what they looked like, this was a time to be happy together, alone for the last time.

Behind them hidden by the tree's Blaise stood in silence, he didn't want to ruin what he reluctantly called later as, the picture of perfection in front of him.

"I have to go." Draco whispered, trailing his fingers down Harry's face.

Even though he couldn't admit it, Harry knew that it was time to let Draco go. He dropped his hands and resisted the urge to kiss the blonde, knowing that it would make saying goodbye so much harder. So he let the blonde walk past and back up to the castle. Five minutes later Harry headed back to his tower. Neither boy were aware of the lonely figure watching them, wondering just what had happened in front of him.

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**Please, please, please review!**


	14. Doomed to be Miserable

**Disclaimer - **I don't own Harry Potter, but if i did can you imagine the possibilities...  
**A/N - **This is the chapter where I've really noticed the change of direction and I love it, I hope you do to.

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**Chapter fourteen**

_Harry Potter – doomed to be miserable?_

_Harry Potter aged eighteen has made headlines again with more unfortunate events that seem to cloud his young life. This time we report not of death and destruction but of a broken heart. Last night brought a cold end to what was supposed to be his happiest and most romantic day of the year. He has ended his long term relationship with girlfriend Ginny Weasley, seventeen, says our source inside the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Our source is unsure as to what caused the split saying that they left the school headed for Hogsmead Village together and returned separately. However after careful research on this lead our reporters discovered that the couple had what was said to be a very heated argument inside a pub known as the three broomsticks. The fight started over Miss Weasley's older brother Ronald Weasley, eighteen, and his choice of date. Ronald was in fact accompanied by another male whose identity still remains unknown._

_The news of this untimely split comes just weeks after rumours of a summer wedding surfaced. With yet another emotional blow for young Harry, who knows how he will be able to handle this tough time. Everyone here at the daily prophet would like to wish Harry luck in love and hopes that next time he chooses a better candidate to hold his heart._

_Turn to pages 8 and 9 for a full spread on the wizarding world's newest most eligible bachelor._

Harry was in too much of a bad mood to even care that the prophet was on his side. He and Draco had 'broken-up' not even twelve hours ago and already he missed the blonde. Of course he and Ginny had broken up that same day, so everyone just assumed that was why he was so down hearted. During his sleepless night he actually contemplated getting back together with Ginny just so he and Draco could be together again, but he couldn't face just how disappointed Draco would be.

Harry threw the paper at Ron, the only other seventh year to be conscious before seven am on a Sunday morning. After reading the article he said; "Well at least they're on your side this time." Harry was surprised to say the least at how well Ron had taken his break up with the red heads sister. Ron admitted to the Head Boy that he never thought that they would last, and it took the focus off of him and Seamus for awhile.

Harry helped himself to the largest mug of coffee he could reach. "But aren't you upset that you and Seamus were mentioned?"

"I would be if he was actually mentioned by name, but he wasn't, so I'm not. I guess I don't care who knows anymore, I'm not ashamed of him at all." Ron shovelled an overfull fork into his mouth after this.

Fifteen minutes later when some more of the seventh years had started arriving, the morning post arrived. Ron's face fell when he noticed Errol his family's owl flying towards him.

Trying his best to comfort him Dean whispered; "It's not red so at least we know it's not a howler."

When the owl landed it deposited not one but two letters. "Harry, um… it's for you." Ron handed over both of the letters to a now shaking Harry.

After seeing his name on one of them he passed the other back to Ron, "Um, can you read it out? I just… I'm um… scared."

"You're scared? _You're scared?_ I broke up with your sister yesterday and now your mother is writing to me!"

"Scared of one little house wife now are we oh mighty saviour?" Blaise smirked.

"Mrs Weasley? Oh yeah." Harry answered simply.

Hermione sighed heavily. "I'll read it then." Snatching the letter from Harry's grasp.

_Ron,_

_Ginny sent us an owl yesterday telling us what happened at Hogsmead. _("Well that didn't take long." Ron muttered.) _I'm sure you realised that she isn't exactly thrilled with you at the moment or Harry for that matter. (I am assuming that you have heard about their break up, and I do hope you're not being too hard on either of them.) Even though her words were weren't what we would call pleasant, your father was able to read between the lines._

_I want you to know that your family is happy for you and respect your decision._ ("That makes it sound like I woke up one day and thought 'hmm, I night be gay today' Seamus isn't a bloody robe." Ron grumbled to his eggs) _I must say we were worried when you broke up with Hermione, but I am glad you have found someone new. Please tell Seamus that we would love for him to join us for Easter. _

_Know that we will always accept you. And don't worry about Ginny she was just upset, I'm sure she'll come around. _(Harry had to hold back a snort here.)

_Love_

_Mum and Dad._

At some point during the letter being read Draco had sat down next to Blaise who happed to be sitting just across from Harry. The Head Boy caught the blonde's eye and he could feel the tears forming, he quickly excused himself and hurried out of the hall. He missed the calculating look from Blaise, the soft 'no' uttered by Hermione and the pained expression etched over Draco's face.

Harry kept walking up stairs and down corridors until he found a room that was only vaguely familiar to him. He perched himself on a desk and took out the letter from his pocket.

_Harry,_

_I am truly sorry to hear about you and Ginny and I do hope that you can work it out. But in case you don't Arthur and I would like you to know that you are still a part of this family just like before you and Ginny ever got together._

_When the press gets hold of this they may not be on your side, but as long as you and the people who love you most know the truth, it doesn't matter._

_We look forward to seeing you._

_Molly._

Harry smiled to himself, at least he still had the majority of the Weasley's support.

--

"Why didn't you tell me?" Blaise asked sitting down next to Draco in the empty seventh year's common room later that day. He had seen the looks on both Draco and Harry's face's over breakfast, and it made him want answers more.

"Tell you what?" Draco put down his defence against the dark arts homework.

"Why didn't you tell me about you and Harry?" Blaise didn't sound angry, disappointment is what laced his voice.

Draco's eyes went wide. "How did you…"

"Find out? I saw your 'break up' dance last night. Tell me the truth Draco, why didn't you tell me? Before we came back you promised me that we wouldn't keep secrets anymore, that we would stick together."

"It's complicated." Even though this was true, Draco knew that this was a weak excuse.

Blaise laughed bitterly. "Don't give me that, it's really quite simple you could have told me, you chose not to. I'm supposed to be your best friend. Does anybody know?"

"Hermione." Draco whispered.

"What? You told my girlfriend before you told me?" Blaise closed his eyes, he looked betrayed.

"We didn't tell her, she found us months ago, just like you did except she was ready to me, well until we explained. We asked her not to tell anyone and she promised not to, you've got yourself a very loyal girl there Blaise."

"I don't need you telling me the positives of my girlfriend, I already know them all. You know everything about me Draco, I came to you for advice about Hermione, yet you don't feel the need to tell me what's going on in your life."

"Blaise let me explain... I would have told you if it was my secret to tell, but it wasn't. Harry and I thought it best not to tell anybody. Can you imagine what both of us would have gone through if we were discovered? Harry's the saviour of the wizarding world and I'm the son of a death eater. We had to be _extremely _careful."

"OK, you didn't want anyone to know, I get that. But why start it? And while we're on the subject why end it? He had just broken up with Ginny you could have at least tried a normal relationship."

"I can't tell you why we started, that's Harry's secret. We were only ever going to be together while he was with Ginny, it was just sex."

"No it wasn't, like I said I'm your best friend, I know you best. The look that you gave him at breakfast today, I've only ever seen it on you once. That was when Nott showed you his dark mark. You love him don't you?"

Draco closed his eyes. "More than you know. But I can't think of it, we can never be together Blaise, not ever and Harry knows that. Our pasts will always interrupt our future and, love him I do but, to him I'm just a friend."

Just then the common room door opened and in walked Dean, Ron and Neville.

"Why is he training you so hard though? You don't even know if you're even in with a chance for the cup yet." Ron dropped himself on a seat across from Draco. "I understand why he would still keep training you by that I mean maybe once a week, but he has booked the pitch three nights this week AND Sunday morning."

"Because Harry is smart he is pushing us hard so we are at the peek of our performance. Hufflepuff have been training hard all year, they are bound to be getting tired by the time the cup rolls around." Dean said stretching slightly.

"I think it's more than that." Neville chimed in. "He's off studying now and he has all these training sessions booked, I think he is trying to distract himself. We all saw him this morning, he may have broken up with her, but he is still hurting."

Draco quickly excused himself, not being able to stand being in a room full of people talking about the man he loves so casually.

--

"We need to talk." Blaise put his hand on Hermione's elbow and whispered into her ear.

Hermione would have smiled if it wasn't for the serious tone in Blaise's voice. "What's wrong?"

"Not here, believe me you don't want anyone to overhear this. Know anywhere private."

The Head Girl only nodded and led the way to the seventh floor corridor and paced in front of a blank stretch of wall. When a door appeared she led the way inside the room of requirement. "What's wrong Blaise, you're actually scaring me."

"Sorry, I don't mean too, it's just I know something that you do and we can't let anyone else know but we need to do something I just don't know what."

"OK," She said slowly. "Now how about you start from the beginning and actually make sense this time?"

Blaise took a deep breath. "I know about Draco and Harry."

Hermione's eyes went wide and she sat on a love seat that had just appeared behind her. "Wow." She sat stunned for a minute not being able to think of anything to say to the man in front of her, suddenly she felt both guilty and ashamed. "Oh Blaise I'm so sorry, I would have told you if I could you know that right? It's just they both made me promise."

Blaise sat beside her and took the soft hand from her lap. "Shh, it's OK Draco explained it too me."

"What did he say to you?"

"Basically that it was just sex between them but that he loves Harry. He doesn't think Harry could ever or would ever love him the same way."

"But he does Blaise, I know he does. I can't believe Draco let him go. Oh you should see them together it's beautiful, the way they can go from passionately hating each others personality and beliefs to falling truly and completely in love."

Blaise pulled Hermione into a tight embrace he could tell that she was suffering seeing her best friend in a situation like this. "We can help them you know, together."

"How? Harry won't admit his feeling to himself let alone to Draco and Draco made me promise not to tell Harry how he feels. Then there's Ginny, she will fight to get Harry back, she's loved him for too long now to give up so easily." Hermione felt anger boil for the red haired girl.

The dark boy pulled away slightly. "You're not going to like what I'm about to suggest to you, but I know it's for the best."

"What?"

"I think we should tell Harry how Draco feels."

"He'll hate me." Hermione whispered with conviction.

"Yes at first he will, but I think in the end he'll understand why you did it and be thankful that you did." Blaise started rubbing her back. "I'm not asking you to say yes now, just watch them for awhile, you'll see that they aren't happy, I saw it at breakfast it's not hard to see. And if there is two people who deserve happiness its Harry and Draco."

--

Harry was found by Hermione twenty minutes later inside the Gryffindor common room surrounded by what looked like every note he had ever written over his seven years at Hogwarts.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked, amused.

"Studying." Harry replied absently.

"For?" She prodded.

"NEWT's I know their four months away but you heard McGonagall we should start early, we can't know what we'll be tested on can we."

"Right well do you mind if I join you? I mean my notes are a lot easier to read than yours."

"Sure why not."

Hermione walked away headed for her own dorm, her spot was soon replaced by a very sorry looking read head. Harry looked up when he sensed another presence and dropped his quill when he saw Ginny staring back at him.

"Can we talk, please?"

Harry nodded numbly, and moved over to make room on the couch next to him.

"I just wanted to know why." She didn't need to explain Harry already understood.

"I thought I told you yesterday."

"Yeah, but you were angry and I thought that maybe you would be calm enough to talk to me now."

"Nothing has changed Ginny and to tell you the truth I have wanted to tell you this for months now I just couldn't pluck up the courage to do it." Harry twisted in his seat slightly. "It was unfair on you to be with you for as long as I was, I wasn't as invested as you were."

"I love you, can't you understand that?"

"I understand that you did I don't think you do anymore, if you did you would have seen that I wasn't happy months ago. And you would have asked me what I really wanted to do with my life and not planned it without consulting me at all. You fell in love with my scar Gin, I'm not saying that you never truly loved me, but I think you were just trying to hold onto anything after the war." Harry surprised both Ginny and himself by saying this but he knew it was true. "I know it's too soon to ask for friendship but I hope in the future we will at least be able to be in the same room together."

Ginny took a deep breath and took one last look at Harry before rushing off into her dorm room. Unknown to Harry Hermione had been watching from the shadow's, thinking that maybe Blaise had a point and she vowed to keep a very close eye on her best friend from now on.

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